


SasoDei Alphabet

by inkspottedandbrokenhearted



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alphabet series, M/M, SasoDei - Freeform, crackfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-19
Updated: 2018-08-19
Packaged: 2019-06-29 13:32:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 26
Words: 20,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15730407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inkspottedandbrokenhearted/pseuds/inkspottedandbrokenhearted
Summary: I took a word that began with every letter of the alphabet and wrote a fic to match it to demonstrate 26 ways in which these two love each other.





	1. A: Answers

Deidara had been quieter than usual. Part of Sasori deeply enjoyed the silence. The other part of him was truly worried that something was troubling his overly-energetic-happy-go-lucky-love-everybody partner.

  
"Brat."

  
Deidara turned to glare at his partner but didn't speak.

  
"Brat."

  
Again, no response.

  
Sasori sighed. He knew why Deidara wasn't responding. He hated being called 'brat', as he'd informed Sasori in the politest was possible during his last huge outburst.

  
"Brat!"

  
Deidara turned his back to his partner.

  
Sasori groaned. He wasn't going to get anywhere by being mean to his partner. Yet, for some reason, he found it hard to say anything nice to him. Sure, he was honestly concerned about him. Yes, he wanted to find the solution to whatever Deidara's problem was so he could have his usual pain in the ass back. But, he couldn't show it.

  
"Fine, don't talk to me."

  
Deidara ran a hand through is blonde hair absentmindedly. It was obvious that his mind was elsewhere. Sasori wasn't even sure Deidara had heard him say anything after the first time he addressed him in that _oh-so-beloved_ nickname.

  
"Even in your silence you're annoying. Do you know that?"

  
Deidara sighed quietly to himself. He turned away from the window that sat directly over his bed and laid down. His blonde hair fanned out around him on the pillow, nearly forming a halo. Sasori watched, not sure how to react.

  
"For the love of-" Sasori cut himself off, not sure how to finish without being murdered by Hidan, "Just speak to me already, brat."

  
Deidara's blue eyes stared up at the ceiling. Part of him wanted to look at Sasori. Part of him wanted to pull the covers over his head and pretend he was invisible.  
"What is it, Danna?"

  
Sasori noted how dull his voice sounded; lifeless.

  
"What's wrong with you lately?"

  
Although he tried, he was unable to hide that small hint of caring that crept into his voice. Mentally, he cursed himself.

  
"I'm just tired."

  
Sasori snorted, "Bullshit! Answer me."

  
Finally, Deidara sat up on his bed and let his blue eyes wander over to Sasori's reddish-brown ones. They stared at each other for a good minute, both trying to figure out what the other was feeling.

  
"Don't worry about it, Danna."

  
Sasori had enough. He sighed and stood from his workbench. He wanted to know what was wrong with the blond. He _desperately_ wanted to know.

  
"Fine, I'll force the answers out of you, then."

  
Before Deidara could even react, he was tackled back down onto his bed. Sasori hovered over him. Quickly, Sasori pinned Deidara's hands above his head. Deidara was immobilized.

  
"W-what are you doing, un?"

  
Sasori smirked, "I told you, I'm forcing the answers out of you."

  
Despite himself, Deidara stared at his partner defiantly. He knew it wasn't the best idea to argue against the puppet master, and he certainly had learned his lesson about pissing Sasori off. Yet, he wasn't about to let himself be dominated like this!

  
"How do you plan to do that, hmm?"

  
Rather than being shocked that Deidara was putting up a fight, Sasori was pleased. This wouldn't be much fun for him if he simply got the answers right away. Oh, no. He wanted to _tease_ the blonde a little.

  
"Like this," Sasori leaned down so his lips were hovering just an inch away from Deidara's ear. He whispered his words so gently that Deidara could hardly hear them, "Tell me what's wrong, Dei-kun."

  
Deidara suppressed any part of him that was enjoying Sasori's close proximity, "No."

  
Without warning, Sasori leaned down and began kissing Deidara's jaw line. He nipped lightly as the soft flesh. Deidara shivered, but held firm. He wasn't going to give into this.

  
"Are you sure you don't want to tell me?" Sasori purred.

  
"Y-yes, un."

  
Sasori could already feel the bombers resolve weakening. This would be _easy._

  
"Fine, then,"

  
Sasori nibbled at Deidara's earlobe. His hands trailed up Deidara's shirt and roamed his chest with feather-light touches. Deidara couldn't deny that he was enjoying this. He couldn't deny that he wanted this. He couldn't deny that the lack of this was exactly what had put him into a bad mood in the first place.

  
"Last chance" Sasori's voice was husky, alluring… downright _sexy._

  
"D-Danna…" Deidara had to work to keep himself from turning that name into a moan, "Why are you doing this, un?"

  
"Because I care about you," The words slipped from Sasori's mouth before he had a chance to stop them.

  
_Damn_. He was getting just as caught up in this as Deidara was.

  
Trying to cover his slip-up and make his seem like part of his master plan (which, frankly, he no longer had), Sasori leaned back down and grazed his lips across Deidara's neck. He kissed along the neckline of the bomber's shirt, his hands pressed firmly against the soft, wonderful, sculpted chest of the younger male.  
Deidara tried his absolute hardest, but couldn't suppress a quiet moan. Sasori smirked to himself and gently bit down just above Deidara's collarbone. He was rewarded with another gentle, _arousing_ moan.

  
"Are you going to talk now, or do I have to keep this up?"

  
Deidara wanted to refuse. He wanted to let Sasori keep doing as he pleased. Unfortunately, he knew this would ultimately turn into torture and he'd hate it by the end.

  
"This is the problem, un. This and you."

  
Sasori leaned away from his blond partner, "What do you mean?" He frowned.

  
Deidara, realizing that what he said could be taking incorrectly, hastily replied, "No. Not _you_. Not _this._ I… I mean. The lack of this. The lack of you doing this."

  
Sasori smiled, almost an evil smile, "So you like when I do this, Dei-kun?"

  
Deidara shyly nodded his head.

  
Sasori leaned down and finally captured the blonde's lips in a real kiss.

  
"Those are the answers I want to hear,"


	2. B: Bonds

Sasori and Deidara sat together in their shared room. Deidara leaned against his bed while Sasori sat in front of him, his back against his own bed. In between them was a sheet of paper. It was the information for the next mission.

  
They had spent the last hour or so going over their plan for how to assassinate their target.

  
"Now, brat. Don't mess up," Sasori muttered, looking up at his partner.

  
Deidara looked up, smiling broadly, "Danna, we've been partners for over a year now, un. I've got it figured out."

  
Silence wrapped around them as Sasori let Deidara's words sink in. They'd been partners for over a year… indeed, that was true. He couldn't help but chuckle a little to himself at how much things had changed in the last year.

  
Deidara was no longer a useless little brat (although Sasori refused to drop the nickname). No, now he could hold his own. Sasori didn't worry about him in battle anymore because he was confident in his partner's abilities. He didn't spend days pacing about their room wondering if Deidara would make it back from a solo mission in one piece. Although, that's not to say he didn't pace, waiting anxiously for his partner, simply because he missed him.

  
The two had stopped their daily, probably _hourly_ , ritual of arguing over the definition of art and which one of them was correct. They had, in fact, actually grown to respect each other's opinions on art. They were now capable of sharing intelligent conversation on the subject and improving each other's trade.

  
This, of course, wasn't the most pleasant thing ever. They couldn't have changed that much in a year, right? What had made the difference in their attitudes over the last year was the fact that the two had bonded. They became comfortable around one another.

  
Deidara was no longer afraid to tell Sasori that his puppets were creepy because "all they do is stare ahead and watch everything you do." On the flip side, Sasori was more than willing to laugh at Deidara when one of his bombs turned out to be a dud.

  
"Danna?" Deidara waved a hand in front of his partner's face.

  
Sasori blinked a couple times before focusing on the hand, "What, brat?"

  
Deidara sighed at his nickname, "You okay, un?"

  
Sasori nodded, a small smile gracing his lips, "Yeah. I'm just thinking about what's changed."

  
"Changed, un? What do you mean?"

  
"Changed between us," Sasori clarified.

  
Deidara smiled and pushed the paper to the side. He then crawled forward and curled up in Sasori's lap, smiling to himself. He wrapped his arm's around Sasori's waist, and Sasori ran his fingers through Deidara's long, beautiful hair that was, at the moment, not tied up in it's usual half pony-tail.

  
As he felt the soft, silky hair against his fingers, he began to lose himself in thoughts again. He remembered the first time he gave in to his feelings. He remembers throwing the annoying blonde against the wall and shutting him up with a kiss. It was one of the best decisions of his life.  He remembered when Deidara went out of his way to throw Sasori a birthday party, and when he, himself, returned the favor. He remembered all the long missions they'd spent and how gradually Deidara's complaints turned into idle chatter that Sasori gladly returned,

  
It was a funny thought, really. Him and Deidara? It hardly seemed likely when they'd first met. There wasn't a damn thing Deidara could do that didn't want to make Sasori poison him while he slept. But over the months, he'd stopped hating the blonde. Was it simply because Deidara had grown up and become more mature? No, that couldn't be it. Was it because he fell in love? Yes. But why had that happened in the first place?

  
Sasori knew the answer. Through all their missions, their shared rooms and their seemingly endless fights about art, the two had formed a bond. It was twisted at first. Somewhere between hatred and secret respect. Then it turned into tolerance, and suddenly out of nowhere it became love.

  
And that, he had to admit, was the best thing to ever happen to him. He loved the blonde for all he was worth, and then some. And he knew that the blonde loved him just as much.

  
"Danna, un?" Deidara asked quietly, lifting his head so his baby blue eyes were observing his partner; his lover.

  
Sasori looked down, "What is it, Dei-kun?"

  
Deidara smiled at his rarely used pet name, "Are you glad things changed?"

  
"Yes," Sasori whispered before leaning down and capturing the blonde's lips.

  
As they pulled apart, they both smiled.

  
You form many bonds in your life, and they're had to break. Whether they're positive or negative, they're the basis for everything you have with someone. Sasori knew, as did Deidara, that if they hadn't bonded, if Deidara had given up and given Sasori the space he originally desired, they'd be nowhere near where they were now. So, although Sasori hated bonding with people, he couldn't help but thank the lords for making him tolerant for those first few months.

  
His bond with Deidara was one that would never break, simply because neither of them ever wanted it to.


	3. C: Criminal

Sasori and Deidara sat, with most of the rest of the Akatsuki, in the living room of the base. Nobody spoke, but that didn't make it awkward. They rarely shared conversation with anyone except their significant other.

  
Today, however, everybody seemed to be catching Deidara's attention. He looked around the room at each person. It amazed him how everyone here was an S-Ranked criminal. Take Itachi for example, he was so young and looked innocent. Of course, your opinion changed when you looked into his eyes, but Dei was ignoring that fact.

  
How could it be that everyone here was wanted for something? In fact, Deidara didn't really even know what everyone had done to get them to the rank of missing-nin. He had only heard part of Sasori's story, and that was his partner. So he sure didn't know what everyone else had done.

  
Curiosity was beginning to take control of Deidara. Sasori lowered his book and glanced at his blonde partner. He recognized the look in Deidara's eyes. That look never ended well for Sasori. It was the look that meant Deidara was about to pry into everybody's personal lives and leave the puppet master to deal with the consequences.

  
Right as Deidara opened his mouth, eyes glued onto Itachi's form (although Itachi didn't notice because he was staring dully out the window), Sasori grabbed his sleeve and tugged.

  
"Danna, un?" Deidara glanced at his partner, pouting at losing his chance to talk to the other members.

  
Sasori merely shook his head.

  
Deidara stared at him. No? No, what? Surely his danna couldn't know what he was about to do. But, the stern look on Sasori's face made him second guess that thought. He turned away and faced Tobi, who was laying on the ground playing with a bouncy ball.

  
How on _earth_ , Deidara wondered, did Tobi get into the Akatsuki? That kid was an idiot. Surely he couldn't have done anything skillful and dangerous.

  
He opened his mouth again, this time directing his full attention at Tobi. Right as he began to form the question, he felt something smack him across the head. He turned to see Sasori with his book shut, his finger marking the page he'd been at. He shook his head again, this time with a sigh.

  
Deidara glowered and turned his back to Sasori. Honestly, he couldn't have any fun with his partner around! He ignored his partner's warnings and glanced around the room again, now paying attention to Hidan. His question about Hidan wasn't so much _how_ did he become a member, but _why?_ Hidan was immortal for Jashin's sake! He could've just gone back and murdered everybody that was after him. There was no reason for him to join this organization.

  
He snuck a sly glance over his shoulder to make sure the red-head wasn't watching him. When he was sure that Sasori was fully engrossed in his book, he turned back to Hidan. He paused for a moment, trying to formulate his question.

  
"Hey, Blondie! What the fuck are you looking at?" Hidan yelled across the room.

  
Deidara could hear Sasori sigh and lower his book. Kakuzu also looked up, ready to scold Hidan for his language.

  
"I was just wondering-" The rest of his sentence was muffled by Sasori's hand over his mouth.

  
"Nothing," Sasori murmured, standing from the couch and dragging the bomber with him, "He wasn't wondering a thing."

  
Deidara yelled and flailed his arms. This resulted only in making him look like an idiot. Oh yeah, it got Sasori to chuckle at him, too.

  
Finally Sasori had dragged him through the maze of hallways and to their room. Once safely inside, he released his vice grip on the blonde and stepped back.

  
"Danna! What was that for, yeah?" Deidara whined, stepping closer to his partner.

  
Sasori rubbed his temples, "Brat, every time you try to pry into people's personal lives, you leave me to take the blame. And, honestly, that is the last thing I'm in the mood for today."

  
Deidara fidgeted, but didn't respond. He couldn't deny that he often bailed and ran, leaving Sasori to deal with whomever he'd pissed off. But, he had good reasoning! If he left them to Sasori, it would blow over much easier! They wouldn't o anything to the puppeteer, because he hadn't done anything wrong. And they wouldn't go back to Deidara to deal with it because they'd consider it already over. It simply made it easier that way.

  
"I wasn't gonna do anything bad, un." Deidara mumbled, shuffling his feet on the ground.

  
"Deidara," Sasori began. The use of his first name meant, in this instance, that he was in trouble, "You are an S-ranked criminal. Yet, you run around screaming and blowing everything up, you giggle like you're five and you act like it's your job to pry into everybody's life. On top of that, you don't take responsibility for anything!"

Deidara hung his head. Again, Sasori was right.

  
"Honestly, I wonder sometimes how you got into the Akatsuki." Sasori grumbled to himself.

  
"That's all I was wondering!" He exclaimed.

  
Sasori looked at him quizzically.

  
"Well, I wasn't wondering about _me_. But like Itachi! He's like twelve. He shouldn't be here!" Deidara began to ramble.

  
Sasori chuckled, "Look who's talking. If he's twelve, you're like eight."

  
Deidara ignored his statement and continued talking, "Or Tobi. He's an idiot. What on earth did he do to get here? And what about Hidan? He could just go kick everyone's ass. Why did he come here?"

  
Sasori rolled his eyes before grabbing the collar of Deidara's cloak and pulling him into a kiss. Sasori held Deidara still until he was sure that the blonde wouldn't begin talking immediately after he let go.

  
"Dei, Shut. Up." Sasori whispered, just inches away from Deidara's lips.

  
Deidara smiled and leaned forward and hugged his partner. Sasori wrapped his arms around Deidara and rested his head on his shoulder, a few inches from his ear.  
"It doesn't matter what any of them did. It's none of your business, so stop trying to but into it."

  
"Yes, danna." Deidara muttered.

  
They pulled away and Dei yawned. Sasori lead him over to the bed and they both layed down, Deidara laying on Sasori's chest. He looked down at his blonde partner.

  
Deidara was an S-ranked criminal. He was more childish than anyone Sasori had ever met (excluding Tobi). He was also the nosiest person alive. He annoyed the living hell out of Sasori, but also claimed his heart. He was an S-Ranked criminal, and man, was he beautiful.


	4. D: Dance

It was nighttime. The members of the Akatsuki had all gone their separate ways hours ago. They all locked themselves in their rooms, two people per room. Sasori and Deidara sat together, quietly, in their shared room. Sasori sat in his chair at his work desk, a puppet resting before him. Deidara sat to his right, leaning his back against the chair.

  
Although the puppet sat in front of him, Sasori did not touch it. He was waiting for the rest of the base to be quiet and for the rest of the members to go to sleep. He had a plan for something he wanted to do with Deidara. But he didn't want there to be even the faintest chance of anybody walking in and ruining it. Or seeing that he was doing it.

  
"Who would've thought Itachi could be so loud, un?" Deidara groaned, leaning his head back against Sasori's knee and shutting his eyes.

  
Sasori chuckled lightly at the comment. It was true. It had surprised the two artists, and probably the rest of the base, the first night that Itachi and Kisame… well, _you know_. It could be heard basically anywhere in the base. Deidara and Sasori had gone for a walk that night to escape the noise, and they could still faintly hear it at the entrance to the base.

  
"You should be used to it by now," Sasori replied quietly.

  
Deidara opened his eyes and stared at his partner, "Used to it or not, I don't like it."

  
Sasori had a few snide comments pass through his mind, but decided against saying any of them. He wanted tonight to be right, and that wouldn't happen if he pissed his blonde off with a remark. He looked away from his partner's blue eyes and focused on the puppet ahead of him. He was slightly anxious for the base to be quiet, but also slightly dreading it. He hated to admit it, but he was _nervous_.

  
"Danna, un?"

  
Sasori looked back at his partner, "Yes?"

  
"Are you okay, yeah?" Deidara sat up straight and turned his whole body to face his red-headed partner.

  
"Why do you ask?" Sasori tilted his head to the side a little, surprised at Deidara's question.

  
Deidara sighed and looked away, "You just seem a little off, un. Like you've got something important on your mind."

  
A small smile graced Sasori's lips. So Deidara had noticed, huh? He thought he'd hidden it well. But then again, he was never nervous about anything, so he wasn't exactly sure how to hide that one. It didn't matter, though. His plan was about to come into action and Deidara would soon know the cause for his odd actions.

  
"I'm fine," Sasori answered, trying to keep his smile from growing larger.

  
"If you say so" Deidara sighed, then perked up again, "Danna, un! It's quiet! They've finally stopped!"

  
Silence wrapped around the two as they listened. It was, indeed quiet. This meant that Kisame and Itachi would be asleep quickly, and the other members would be out shortly after. It was almost time.

  
Sasori smiled and began to move his puppet, carefully putting everything away in its proper place. Next he discarded his ataksuki cloak. Deidara watched, and soon realized that underneath the cloak, Sasori had on a pair of black pants and a black shirt. He looked rather stunning, actually.

  
"Dei, come here," Sasori whispered, stretching a hand out in front of him.

  
Deidara looked at him curiously, but stood up and followed his directions none-the-less. He stopped in front of Sasori and placed one of his hands in Sasori's. He looked into his partner's reddish eyes for any clue as to what he was doing, but none came.

  
Sasori grasped Deidara's hand and pulled him a few steps closer. He took his free hand to move Deidara's other hand to his neck, and then placed his free hand on the blonde's hip. Deidara wasn't sure what was going on, but he liked the close proximity he had with his partner.

  
Slowly, the puppet took a step towards his partner, then he took a step back. He held the blonde bomber firmly, but not threateningly, to ensure that he followed along with the movements. The blonde watched their feet as they made a slow circle.

  
"What's this, un?" He whispered quietly, looking back up at his partner.

  
Sasori smiled openly, "You always said you wanted to know how to ballroom dance,"

  
Deidara's heart stopped at his words. Sasori was dancing, simply because he remembered Deidara saying he wanted to know how? In fact, Deidara was simply surprised that Sasori had listened to anything he said, let alone the fact that he was doing this for him.

  
"That… that's so sweet, un!" He smiled.

  
Sasori held Deidara a little closer and began to hum a tune between the two of them. He moved them in step with the song he was humming. Deidara was beginning to pick up the steps. He wasn't following clumsily behind Sasori anymore, but actually keeping in step with him. This made it all the more special.

  
Sasori paused from his song briefly to compliment his partner, "Very good, Dei. You're a quick learner."

  
He quickly picked up his humming again. The song was sweet and slow. It warmed your heart and made you want to pull a loved one close and never let go. That's what Deidara felt like he was doing right now. He had his danna in his arms. It was something he'd dreamed about doing for so long.

  
"Your song is beautiful, danna. What's it called?"

  
Sasori's cheeks flushed a few shades of red at the comment, "It… it doesn't have a name. I just made it up."

  
"You just made it up? That's incredible, un. How'd you do that?" Deidara stopped moving and looked at Sasori.

  
The two still held each other. Sasori's hand had snaked its way from Deidara's hip to his back and he had the blonde nearly flush against his chest. Deidara had wrapped his arm around Sasori's neck. They looked into each other's eyes for a moment.

  
Finally, Sasori looked away, his cheeks tinting crimson again, "I-i… I made it sound the way I think you'd sound if you were music."

  
"B-but it was so sweet… and beautiful…" Deidara stared at his partner's turned face in disbelief.

  
"Just like you," Sasori whispered.

  
Finally, he turned his head back and made eye contact with his bomber. They stared at each other for a minute in utter silence. Sasori had always found Deidara truly beautiful and charming, and Deidara had always been in love with Sasori.

  
"Deidara…"

  
The aforementioned blonde smiled and placed a finger on his partner's lips, "Shh, danna."

  
They both smiled as Deidara dropped his finger. Then, they leaned in, closing their eyes, and allowed their lips to touch. It wasn't a long kiss, nor was it deeply passionate and needy. It was sweet, just like the moment. Just like the little tune Sasori had been humming.

  
They separated and Sasori picked up the tune again. They began to waltz around the room, Deidara keeping perfectly in step with the other male. Their eyes locked the entire time. It was a moment of true romance.

  
For the rest of time, whenever Deidara was upset or couldn't fall asleep, Sasori calmed his nerves with a little song he titled "Deidara's beauty." And whenever Deidara had too much energy, or had a truly depressing day, Sasori would pull him close and sashay around the room with him until he felt better.


	5. E: Edge

It didn't seem to matter what Deidara did. He always seemed to push Sasori over the edge. In fact, Sasori had told him off for breathing too loudly before. Sasori had some sort of vengeance against the blonde. It was like he wanted to hate the innocent bomber.

Now, however, it was Deidara who was about to be pushed over the edge. Literally. He could feel the rock crumbling under his heels. If he moved even a centimeter back, he'd fall off the cliff.

"You brat!" Sasori fumed, inching closer to the trapped blonde, "You could've ruined Hiruko!"

"I-I'm sorry, danna, un!" Deidara muttered, holding his hands in front of him with his palms facing his partner, "I was just trying to get that guy before he snuck up on you!"

This turned out to be the wrong thing to say. Sasori edged closer, "You think I'm incapable of detecting a sneak attack? I'm an S-ranked criminal, brat. I can handle myself."

Sasori was infamous for his poison, and boy, did it drip off every word he said. It seemed clear to Deidara that the red head wanted him gone, Dead, even.

"You're right, danna," Deidara whispered, looking his partner in the eyes, "You don't need me, un. I'm just slowing you down."

Before Sasori had a chance to register his partner's words, Deidara spun around and dove off the cliff. What was he doing? Even he didn't know. He just knew he needed to get away from that bastard of a puppet.

"D-Deidara?!" Sasori choked out.

He lunged forward and gazed over the edge of the cliff. No blonde hair, no obnoxious clay sculptures… nothing that could be associated with the crazy Iwa nin. The only thing that met Sasori's eyes was treetops. Treetops as far as the eye could see… and no Deidara.

"…Shit."

Deidara bounced from tree branch to tree branch, trying to slow his speed and regain control. Unfortunately, his foot slipped and he tumbled to the ground. He landed painfully on his right arm with a very sickening crack.

"Fantastic, un," He grumbled.

Slowly he rolled himself over and pushed himself up with his left arm, wincing in the process He glanced down at his arm. It looked normal, but it hurt. He was sure he'd broken his radius. Probably his ulna, too. He knew simply because he'd done it before.

With a sigh and a lot of pain, Deidara managed to slip off his cloak and shirt. He tied his shirt sleeves together and looped it over his neck. Then he slipped his arm into the makeshift sling. The pain spread up his whole arm and he suspected it was broken in more than one location. So, it was safer to keep it still.

He slipped his cloak back over his left arm and draped it over his right shoulder. He sat back against a tree.

"Damn Sasori, un." He growled angrily, "I was just trying to help the bastard. And now look where it got me."

Unbeknownst to the blonde, his aforementioned danna was standing a few feet away, hiding behind a tree trunk and listening.

"Why do I even bother?" Deidara continued to himself, "He'll hate me no matter what I do. He hates me for breathing, un. He punished me for needing to eat or sleep. For an 'emotionless' puppet, he sure is good at feeling every negative emotion, un."

Sasori hated Deidara's words. He hated every last one of them. He hated them… because they were right. He looked for any reason to be mean to the poor blonde. He practically made a hobby out of ripping the kid to shreds.

"He's probably gone back to the base without me, un" Deidara mused darkly, "And lord knows he'll kill me if I'm late. He's already going to kill me for being injured."

Sasori knew he was right. If he hadn't felt guilty and worried the second the blonde dove off the cliff, if he hadn't followed him and heard all of this, he would've done just that. He would've left the blonde to find his way back to the base, harassed him if he'd been late and held it over his head that his stupid decisions caused him injuries.

In a word, Sasori was an asshole.

His thoughts were shattered when he heard Deidara groaning. He glanced around the tree trunk to see Deidara trying to stand up, using the tree for balance. His arm wasn't the only thing injured. His back killed and his legs were cut and bleeding in a few places. Sasori sighed. He had to fix this.

"Well, you look like a train-wreck," He muttered, smirking to himself.

Deidara's head snapped up to inspect the approaching red head, "What the hell do you want, un?"

Sasori closed the distance between them and placed a hand in front of him, offering help up to the blonde, "You're my partner. I have to help you."

Deidara, bluntly refusing Sasori's offer for help, laughed to himself, "That's a good one, danna, un. Now, what do you really want?"

Sasori reached down and grabbed the collar of Deidara's cloak. He firmly, but not too roughly, pulled the bomber to his feet. Once he was up, they both stood facing one another. Sasori shut his eyes briefly.

He sucked in a big breath, before responding, "I want to help the idiot that I've somehow fallen in love with. Because if I don't, I'll be pacing around the room worried sick until he makes it back and I'll never forgive myself for treating him like such shit when he never deserved it in the first place."

Deidara stared silently at his partner. He wasn't really sure what to think. He wanted to say he believed it was all a lie. He wanted to say that he was so shocked he could simply deny the words had never been spoken. But alas, they seeped into his brain and nagged at him.

"Deidara… say something," Sasori urged, not exactly nervous, but more anxious.

Before anymore thoughts could pass through Deidara's mind, he leaned forward and captured his partner's lips. Sasori was shocked, but wasted no time in showing the blonde that he enjoyed the contact. After a second, Deidara pulled away.

"I hate you a lot, danna, un. But I love you just a little bit more than that," He whispered.

A small smile graced Sasori's lips. It felt good to be honest to his partner. It felt good to not have to tear him apart for fear of Deidara finding out his true feelings. It felt good to love.

"Let's get you all fixed up," Sasori muttered, looking his partner over.

Deidara smiled a small, sheepish smile. Sasori pulled Deidara's cloak off and undid his fake sling. He looked Deidara's arm over, poking here, squeezing there… all the while watching his partner's reaction. Next he pulled a small roll of gauze out of his pack and began to wrap it tenderly around the broken arm. He then took another shirt he'd packed out of his bag and began to rip it into the shape of a diamond. He placed Deidara's arm in it and adjusted it properly before tying it around his partner's neck.

"How's that feel?"

Deidara winced a little, "Alright, un."

Sasori moved to his legs and began to clean and bandage all the wounds. Once his blonde was completely repaired (as much as possible, anyways), he stepped away.

"Let's set up camp here," Sasori whispered.

Deidara stared at him passively, trying to hide his surprise, "We're only a couple hours away from base, un. Let's just go back."

Sasori shook his head firmly, "No. You're injured and you need to rest. We're staying here for the night."

His tone was firm, but it was obvious that he meant it in a caring way. Deidara sighed in defeat and plopped back down on the ground, cringing as pain surged through his arm.

"You know, you broke your arm in three places. You should probably be careful," Sasori teased.

Deidara rolled his eyes, "Whatever, danna."

Sasori went and collected wood and built a small fire. He set up a tent and pulled out some Dango's he'd grabbed in the last town in case his partner began to complain of hunger. Deidara chomped on the dango as he watched his partner work. Finally everything was set up.

"Thank you," Deidara whispered, scooting closer to the fire.

Sasori smiled, "Thank you for forgiving me. I never meant to be so mean to you."

Deidara watched his puppet again. It was evident that Sasori was not lying. The way he looked at Deidara, how close he was sitting, how he'd tended to his wounds, fed him and even set up camp for him… he'd never do this if he didn't care.

"Why were you so mean, then?"

Sasori glanced at his partner. He knew he'd been hurting Deidara all along, but he was able to ignore it because Deidara had done a fairly successful job of hiding it. He'd acted like he didn't give a damn what his partner thought, although it was quite the opposite.

Sasori sighed, "I was afraid you'd reject me. I've been on the edge of telling you for months, but I was scared. So I hid it. Just like I'm sure you've been hiding how I've been hurting you."

Dei leaned his head on Sasori's shoulder and snuggled into the crook of his neck, "As long as you start being nice to me now, danna, it doesn't matter."

Sasori wrapped an arm around the blonde and pulled him as close as possible, "I'll never be mean like that to you again, Dei-kun. I promise. You deserve only the best."

"Danna, don't you see? That's you."

Sasori shook his head, "How could that be me?"

Deidara kissed his partner's neck lightly, "You've always been there for me. You apologize when you're wrong and you take care of me. I know you'll do whatever you can for me."

"I've been awful to you, Dei," The puppet master whispered in response.

Deidara smiled, "Nobody can blame you for being scared."

Sasori looked down at his partner. Deidara looked up. Their lips met for a moment before they fell back into snuggling before the fire.


	6. F: First

"I will love you until the day your art fails"

  
"Brat, my art is eternal. It will never fail."

  
"Exactly."

  
Sasori turned to face his partner. He needed to see those blue eyes. To see if they gave away any hint to the meaning of these strange words. But all that met Sasori's eyes was an empty room. Deidara had run off somewhere.

  
A small sigh escaped his lips. He'd noticed his partner acting weird lately. Usually when Deidara acted weird he just sat quietly and stared. But not this time.

  
This was a first.

  
For the past week or so, Deidara had been trying to do everything with the puppeteer. He'd even somehow managed to convince Sasori to let him help with fixing puppets. And the red head would be lieing to say he didn't enjoy the bomber's company.

  
Which was a first.

  
He turned back to his desk. He could see the puppet Deidara had fixed hanging on the wall to the left. It was perfectly done. Usually Deidara ruined everything instead of fixing it.

  
So this was a first.

  
Sasori's hands shook as he reached out to the puppet he was currently fixing Deidara's words whispered in the back of his head. He wanted to know what the blonde meant. He needed to know if those words were real.

  
He stood and exited the room. There was always one place Deidara went when he was upset. Now, Sasori didn't know if Deidara could be qualified as upset currently. He left before Sasori could respond, so surely he couldn't have done anything to offend or upset the blonde.

  
But, he was still worried.

  
And that was a first.

  
Sasori pulled his cloak a little tighter around himself. It was late fall and starting to get cold out. He sighed as he immediately spied a coatless blonde. He had to be freezing.

  
"Brat," Sasori addressed as he stepped up to Deidara, "I'll kill you if you get sick and I have to take care of you."

  
He didn't mean it, honestly. He wouldn't mind taking care of the younger male. And this was evident in his playful tone and smirk.

  
This was also a first.

  
"It's not that cold, un." Deidara smiled.

  
Sasori shook his head, a small smile playing at his lips. Of course Deidara would be too stubborn to come in,

  
Suddenly, Sasori threw a very strange comment into their conversation, "You know, there's a reason I turned myself into a puppet."

  
Deidara, surprised at his sudden statement, debated responding with 'really? See, I thought you just did it for shits and giggles' but upon realizing that he didn't have a death wish, he simply went with, "Un?"

  
Sasori stared at his partner. What was he going to say? He couldn't even explain why he made his original comment. He had no plan. He'd simply spoken without even thinking. And he felt like he was about to do it again.

  
Another first.

  
"Well, obviously it was to help me in battle. But it was also to ensure I got the maximum time possible with someone, if I happened to ever fall in love. And I'll be damned if they blow themselves to smithereens right after I realize I love them," Sasori huffed.

  
Deidara smiled, "Danna, un?"

  
"Be more careful with your clay," Sasori responded.

  
Now, Deidara chuckled, "Are you trying to tell me you love me?"

  
Sasori stared. He hadn't even realized it himself, but that's exactly what he'd been trying to do. He didn't even know he loved the blonde before now. He didn't know what love felt like.

  
So many firsts!

  
"Yes."

  
Deidara chuckled quietly, "You could've gone with a simple 'I love you'"

  
Sasori rolled his eyes. Deidara stepped forward and closed the gap between the two of them. He looked down about half an inch into the brown eyes of his partner.

  
"Well?" Sasori prodded, smirking to himself. He was confident in his confession.

  
"I will love you until the day your art fails," Deidara repeated.

  
Sasori let his smirk turn into a real smile, "Brat, my art is eternal. It will never fail."

  
Deidara leaned down and pressed his lips to Sasori's. It was their first as a couple, and their first kiss individually. It was the first time either of them had been in love.

  
Deidara pulled back and leaned his forehead against Sasori's, "Exactly."


	7. G: Guidelines

Akasuna no Sasori was a very private, protective person. He never allowed anybody to get close to him, and for those who were forced to be close to him physically, he set rules for them to follow. They included:  
  
1\. Do not ever, EVER, touch anything of his.  
  
2\. If he is working (which is more often than not) do not disturb him.  
  
3\. If at all possible, leave him alone even if he's not working  
  
4\. Don't ask stupid, obvious questions  
  
5\. Don't be stupid in general.  
  
He was of the opinion that his rules were easy to follow and should cause no problem. For the most part, they didn't. His partners were no more interested in him than he was in them. That all changed when he was partnered with a blonde bomber from Iwa.  
  
Deidara was more of a people person. He loved to make friends and be around people. However, he respected the idea that Sasori had these rules. He understood that each person wanted their privacy and he didn't find that unfair of Sasori. He simply viewed them more as _guidelines_ rather than actual rules.  
  
"Danna~" Deidara dropped onto his bed, waiting for the irritated response of his partner.  
  
Sasori growled, "Can't you see I'm working?"  
  
"Yes,"  
  
"And what's my rule about that?" Sasori asked, rubbing his temples.  
  
Deidara stared, unblinkingly, then he smiled, "I'm not supposed to disturb you while you are working,"  
  
"Very good." Sasori started to turn away, "So why are you disobeying it?"  
  
"Because I'm bored."  
  
These words halted Sasori, "And you expect me to do something about that?"  
  
Deidara smiled a coy smile and stood from the bed. He walked slowly over to Sasori, making sure to swing his hips just a little more than usual. He didn't fail to notice the red head trying to avoid looking down at that alluring movement.  
  
"What're you doing, brat?" Sasori spat, trying to keep his tone harsh.  
  
He had to admit it was hard. He wanted the blonde. Ever since Deidara had become his partner, Sasori began to realize that maybe rules were a bad idea. Or, rather, he learned to tolerate when people broke his rules. Scratch that. He only tolerated Deidara. Anybody else would be killed if they disobeyed him. But there was something so cute and sexy when Deidara pouted. Something he couldn't resist.  
  
"Oh, nothing~" Deidara cooed, slowly throwing a leg over Sasori's lap and gently seating himself on top of it.  
  
Sasori closed his eyes briefly, "What do you want?"  
  
Deidara leaned forward and whispered quietly, just an inch away from Sasori's lips, "Why don't we play a little game, un?"  
  
"What do you have in mind?"  
  
A sexy, seductive laugh escaped his wonderfully soft lips, "Twister?"  
  
Sasori's eyes snapped open. All this and Deidara wanted to play a childish game like twister? Why on earth would he ever agree to that? Who gets someone all hot and bothered so that they can play twister? He sighed. He really had fallen in love with an idiot.  
  
"Why would I agree to that?" His tone was somewhere in between irritated and disappointed.  
  
"Oh, trust me, danna. You'll _love_ it."  
  
The way Deidara spoke those words, the way he kissed Sasori before standing up and walking away with that incredibly attractive sway of the hips rendered Sasori speechless. Whether or not he hated that game, he couldn't say no to the little display Deidara was putting on for him.  
  
Deidara was fully aware of this and already setting up the game. Sasori sighed and discarded his cloak, mentally cursing himself for ever allowing the blonde to buy the game in the first place.   
  
They took their places at the same end of the mat and began the game. Sasori had a small marionette spin the wheel for them. He was up first.  
  
Right foot green.   
  
Simple enough. He reached his right foot forward to the second green circle on the mat.  The small puppet spun the wheel again for Deidara.  
  
Right hand red.  
  
Deidara smirked seductively as he leaned to place his hand on the red circle to the right of his partner's foot. On his way he "accidentally" brushed his hand against the upper part of Sasori's inner thigh. He had to suppress a small gasp of surprise.  
  
The game continued on like this.  
  
Left foot red.   
  
Sasori made a small twirl to complete his turn. He found that, although it was on the ground, Deidara's hand was right between his legs.  
  
Right foot red.  
  
Deidara placed his one foot behind Sasori's, leaving most of his body between the puppet's legs. He was facing up and completely aware of the blush that covered most of Sasori's face.  
  
Left hand red.  
  
Sasori leaned forward to place his hand on the circle at the edge of the board, leaving his face mere centimeters away from Deidara's. He now understood why the blonde wanted to play the game. He was teasing Sasori.  
  
Left foot blue.  
  
The blonde reached his other foot through Sasori's legs, stretching it out behind the puppet. The entire time he made his move, he gripped Sasori's thigh "for support".  
  
"I'm pretty sure it's against the rules to use other players to help you make your move," Sasori chastised, half-heartedly.  
  
Right hand blue.  
  
Placing his second hand on the mat left Sasori entirely over the blonde, nearly pinning him to the ground. In honesty, he really enjoyed this position. Deidara was aware of this and had intentionally placed himself in such a vulnerable, seductive position.  
  
His arm wrapped around the red heads neck as he tried to keep from falling with Sasori so close over him.  
  
"I think it's also against the rules to use the other person to hold you up completely,"  
  
Deidara rolled his eyes, "I'm not really one for rules, Danna. They're more like guidelines. Things you _should_ follow. But you don't _have_ to."  
  
Sasori smirked, "So it's okay for me to do this?"  
  
He leaned forward and kissed Deidara, catching the bomber off guard and almost causing him to lose his balance. Realizing that Sasori had caught on to the purpose of this game, Deidara smiled.  
  
They pulled apart and the puppet spun again.  
  
Right hand red.  
  
"Well, since I'm already in that position, I think I get to choose my next move," Deidara spoke in a husky voice, trailing his hand seductively down Sasori's chest.  
  
Sasori pondered this idea for a moment, "Fine. Seems fair enough,"  
  
Before Sasori could react, Deidara had pushed himself up against his lips. He didn't hesitate to kiss the blonde back, but he wasn't entirely sure how the blonde was using this as his choice move.   
  
He could feel a hand run across his chest, up to his neck, around the back and into his hair. He fought the urge to shiver at the enjoyable touch from his younger partner.  
  
Deidara pulled away and smiled, "There, I think that's a good move."  
  
"What? That doesn't count as a move at all! That's not a part of the game!" Sasori sputtered.  
  
"Again, Danna. I don't do rules. To me that counts as a move. Now take your turn."  
  
An idea hit Sasori and he smirked. He had the puppet spin the wheel, knowing the outcome.  
  
Right hand blue.  
  
"Oops, looks like I'm already here. Now I get to choose a move."  
  
Sasori lifted his right hand off said blue circle and snaked it around the blonde's waist, pulling him flush against his chest and kissing the blonde deeply. Deidara lifted both of his hands and gripped his Danna's neck to keep himself as close as possible.  
  
Finally, when they broke apart, Deidara grinned, "You know, it's against the rules to take your hands off of their designated place,"  
  
"I thought you didn't care about the rules?" Sasori chuckled.  
  
"You're right,"  
  
With those words, Deidara pulled Sasori down on top of him and began to kiss him. And for the first time, Sasori was beyond glad that the blonde simply viewed his rules as "guidelines" and dared to break them.


	8. H: Hoax

It was a clear day. Clearer than most had been in recent memory. Deidara trekked back towards the base where he knew he'd left his partner. Where he _thought_ he'd find his partner.  
  
"Sasori-no-danna?" He called, heading into the cave where he'd left his partner.  
  
He stopped, mid-stride, as he entered. There were bodies everywhere. Hundreds of puppets in pieces on the rock floor. The roof had been destroyed. To Deidara, it looked like World War III took place.  
  
"What the-?" He stepped further into the cave, looking for the one puppet he actually cared about.  
  
He walked through the cave, careful to avoid touching any of the puppets, lest Sasori scold him for ruining his supposed art.  
  
"Danna? Where are you, yeah?" Deidara yelled, looking around the cave for any movement.  
  
Suddenly, a head of red hair caught his attention. Deidara ran over to him, still avoiding all the other wooden bodies littering the floor. In an instant he was on his knees next to his danna.  
  
"Sasori…" He spoke quietly as he rolled the puppet over.   
  
The puppet's eyes were wide open and blank. Two swords pierced through his heart container, his only flaw. Deidara knew in an instant that his danna was dead.  
  
He wanted to yell and scream, he wanted to cry his eyes out. He wanted to do so many things, but all he did was stare.  
  
"H-how?" He finally whispered, the word hitching in his throat, "I-it's not possible…"  
  
He could feel his throat tighten as realization sunk in. He could feel his heart ripping into little pieces and his body beginning to shake, but that barely registered with him. He couldn't think about anything else. All that went through his mind was that same question. _How?_  
  
Sasori had always said his art was superior because it lasted forever. He always said that he was superior because he had made himself into his art. Therefore, he had to last forever, too. Right?  
  
Apparently not. What other explanation could Deidara give for the dead, lifeless, shell of a body that lay in his arms? It was unmistakably his danna. Sasori never made any puppets in his likeness, so this could not be an imposter. It had to be the one and only Akasuna no Sasori.  
  
But… How?  
  
"D-danna…. No," The words barely made it out of Deidara's mouth. His throat was dry and it ached to try and talk.  
  
He licked his dry lips in an attempt to help his voice, but he found that he didn't _want_ to speak. He didn't want to ask his questions because he knew the answers, and he certainly didn't want to hear them vocalized. His lower lip quivered as he gently set the puppet back on the rocky ground.  
  
With shaky legs he stood to his feet, "You wouldn't want me to be upset, d-danna, un. You'd say it's w-… it's weak, yeah," He choked and stumbled over his sentence.  
  
With one last glance at his partner, Deidara began to trek out of the cave and back to the headquarters. He would have to inform leader of his findings. He'd have to be assigned a new partner. He'd have to deal with heartbreak.   
  
A small tear slid down his cheek, but he quickly wiped it away with his remaining hand. The base was already in sight. He hesitated briefly in front of the door, but pushed it open and headed inside none-the-less. There was no way for him to avoid this situation. He couldn't lie and say Sasori was still alive.  
  
A knock resounded quietly as Deidara stood outside leader's door. Suddenly, it creaked open slowly on his own.  Mentally, Deidara prepared himself for the news he would have to give and the fit Pein was sure to throw.  
  
"Deidara… what happened to your arm?"  
  
Deidara glanced down to his missing limb before shrugging, "That kid took it off. I'm sure it can be fixed. That's not why I came here, though, un."  
  
Leader raised an orange eyebrow at him, "No? Then what is your reason?"  
  
"Leader-Sama," The blonde took a deep breath before continuing. It was now or never, "Sasori is-"  
  
His sentence was cut short by another voice in the shadows, "Sasori is what, _brat_?"  
  
Deidara's head snapped to his left where a red-headed figured emerged from the shadows. Before Deidara could even see his face, he knew it was his danna. Nobody else ever referred to him as 'brat'.  
  
Sure enough, Sasori's face emerged from the shadows moments later. The bomber was sure that his jaw would've hit the ground had he not fought to hide his surprise.  
  
He turned back to Pein, trying to mask the surprise in his voice, "Well… I was going to say that he's no longer at the battle scene. But since he's already here it's nothing to w-worry about, yeah…"  
  
The leader nodded to him and he exited swiftly, not sparing another glance at Sasori. His mind was buzzing. How on earth could Sasori still be around? He had seen the body. He couldn't have mistaken that for someone else, could he?  
  
He opened and shut the door to his room quietly, and laid down on his bed. His head was pounding from sure confusion.  
  
Not even a moment later, his door opened and shut again. Of course, he knew who it was. Sasori was the only one who ever entered his room without knocking first.  
  
"Hey brat," Said red head took a seat at the foot of Deidara's bed.  
  
The blonde looked up at him warily, tempted to reach out and touch him to ensure he's real.  
  
"Are you okay?" Sasori leaned forward a little,   
  
"No, I'm not okay," Deidara snapped, "You were dead. I saw your dead body. But apparently you're still fine. So I must just be crazy."  
  
Sasori smirked a little at the bomber's harsh words. He hadn't expected Deidara to find the other body, but he certainly wasn't surprised at his reaction since he did see the body.  
  
Sasori spoke calmly, resting a hand on top of Deidara's remaining hand, "That wasn't me, brat."  
  
"Gee, really?" Deidara rolled his eyes, "I thought this you was a ghost."  
  
Sasori chuckled, "Leader knew of this attack ahead of time. He knew that it would involve my grandmother. So I was instructed to make a look-alike for the battle, simply to test her power. I was never even the one out there,"  
  
Deidara sighed, then mumbled under his breath, "You sure did a good job making it look like you,"  
  
Sasori laughed again, a smooth, silky sound that made Deidara feel better. He shook his head slightly before reaching out and pulling the ex-Iwa nin into a sitting position. Before Deidara could react, Sasori pulled him into a hug.  
  
"I told you, brat. I'm eternal. I'm not going anywhere. Looks like you're stuck with me,"  
  
The blonde smiled a little, "I wouldn't say _stuck_ , danna. I don't mind it too much,"  
  
Sasori smiled, too, "Good. Because I don't know what I'd do without you."  
  
"I don't know what I'd do without you either, Danna, un. So don't scare me like that again, please."  
  
Sasori pulled away and captured his lover's lips, "I won't."  
  
They smiled at each other before Sasori began to chuckle. Deidara looked up at him, an eyebrow raised.  
  
"You lost an arm?"  
  
"SHUT UP, UN!" Deidara crossed his only remaining arm over his chest and pouted.  
  
A roll of the eyes was all Sasori had to offer on that subject. They sat in silence again before Sasori broke it again, ignoring Deidara's last comment, "Shall we go have Kakuzu fix it?"  
  
Deidara shook his head, "No. For right now I just want to be with you,"  
  
Sasori smiled and pulled the blonde into his arms, "I think I can handle that,"


	9. I: Insatiable

Nothing remained amazing forever. Scenery, food, books… it didn't matter. Eventually everything lost its thrill. You no longer wanted to read that book or eat that food… you were sick of it. It just wasn't appealing anymore.  
  
Sasori had to admit that he was starting to see Deidara's point. His art was beautiful and fleeting. It was enjoyed for only a few moments, His art, however, was enjoyed for a longer time. It gave everyone a chance to fully appreciate his artistic abilities. But… it got old. He didn't look at Hiruko and feel that great swell of pride anymore. Hiruko was old news.   
  
However, there was one thing, he concluded, that never got old. Love. It was insatiable. It didn't matter how many times he looked at Deidara. He was never prepared for the sheer beauty of those blue eyes and blonde locks. He never got used to the spark he felt when kissing those soft pink lips.  
  
Deidara was one of a kind.  
  
Sasori wanted to spend every day with Deidara. Everyday for the rest of the bomber's life. And never once did he fear that it would get old or that he'd want something else. He _knew_ for a fact that he could never be satisfied. There couldn't be enough Deidara in the world for him.  
  
He loved the way Deidara did everything. How he said 'un' after nearly every sentence (although it did tend to get slightly annoying). How it felt to have his little Deidei curled up on his lap with his head in the crook of Sasori's neck.  
  
No matter what happened, he'd never forget the way Deidara's fingers fit perfectly inside his, or how his whole body fit together with Sasori's when hugging. They were two puzzle pieces- made to fit together perfectly.  
  
Sasori often sat up at night, watching the innocence that was Deidara. It didn't matter how many times he heard his name mumbled in his partner's sleep. His heart skipped a beat every time that name came out as a breathy whisper. His breath hitched in his throat every night when Deidara latched on to Sasori and snuggled ever closer to him.  
  
It didn't matter how many times Sasori had held Deidara before, how many times he'd kissed him or touched him. Those things never failed to leave him feeling warm and fuzzy on the inside.   
  
"Danna, un?"  
  
Sasori blinked once, twice and on the third time, he realized he was staring straight into his beloved blonde's eyes.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
A small smile spread slowly over Deidara's lips, "What were you thinking about, un?"  
  
"You," Sasori answered without hesitation.  
  
A blush crept across Deidara's lovely cheeks. The color made him look so adorable. Sasori found himself enjoying the blush to the fullest. He reached out and cupped the bomber's cheek in his hand, tracing the blush with his thumb.  
  
He'd be lying to say he wasn't surprised at how soft Deidara's skin was, how close the blonde allowed him to be.  
  
Without another thought, Sasori leaned in and pressed his lips to Deidara's. Deidara wrapped his arms around Sasori's neck and nestled himself into his partner's lap. Sasori had been doing this a lot lately, and he wasn't sure why. Although, he loved it.  
  
Deidara ran a hand up and into Sasori's red hair as they pulled away for air. The look in Sasori's eyes caught Deidara off guard, no matter how many times he'd seen it before. The true love Sasori had for his partner always amazed and completed Deidara.  
  
"Danna, un… I love you," Deidara's words came out as a breathless whisper, but he knew Sasori heard it.  
  
Sasori's heart melted at the words. His breathing slowed without him knowing. The feeling inside of him was entirely indescribable. Yes, he concluded, love was always new and refreshing. It was insatiable. There was no way in the world he could ever get enough of this.  
  
"I love you, too, Dei."  
  
As they stared into each other's eyes, they realized something. What they had was a mixture of both of their art. It was eternal. But it was also exciting. They knew they would love each other for the rest of their lives, but each day was like the first time. The same little sparks and raw feelings.   
  
It was then that they decided… Their love is the truest form of art that has ever existed.


	10. J: Jokes

Deidara was a jokester, a prankster and an all around goofy guy. It irked Sasori to no end. The only times the blonde acted his age (which was still immature as it was) was when the duo were out on missions or sharing a lovely night together. All the rest of the time, Deidara was playing jokes on the rest of the Akatsuki (although he always steered clear of pranking his partner. He claimed it was out of love but Sasori suspected that it was truly out of fear).  
  
However, the day came (and let's be honest, _everybody_ knew this day was coming) where Sasori finally got sick of all of Deidara's tricks and decided to do something about it.  
  
But he wasn't going to do just anything. Oh, no. He was going to prank Deidara. And a damn good prank it would be! In fact, he'd gotten the rest of the members in on this prank. That alone made it easy for the red head. But the fact that his lover was incredibly gullible practically made it a cakewalk.  
  
Sasori had the whole thing figured out. A sly smile plastered itself to his features from the moment he woke up.  
  
"Danna, un." Deidara knocked at the door, "Have you seen Itachi? He was supposed to train with me today."  
  
Sasori refused to turn away from his puppet when answering, afraid his smile would betray him, "He was with Hidan earlier today. That's all I know."  
  
"Oh," Deidara turned and headed out the door, "Thanks."  
  
Once the door had shut and Sasori was sure Deidara wasn't coming back, a huge smile took over his lips. Phase one was complete.   
  
The bomber trekked quietly down the halls towards Hidan's room. He reached the door and knocked once, waiting when he heard footsteps approaching. The door swung open to reveal a blood-soaked Hidan.  
  
"Woah! What happened to you?" Deidara asked, stepping back a few steps, "Did you sacrifice an elephant or something?"  
  
Hidan's face remained unamused as he answered, "Nope. Itachi."  
  
"WHAT?!" Deidara's jaw nearly hit the floor, "Y-y-you w-what?!  
  
"I thought you would be happy!" Hidan grumbled, "You hate that fucker anyways. I was doing you a favor."  
  
"I DIDN'T WANT HIM DEAD!" The blonde yelled back, astounded.  
  
"Well, It's too late then. Can't even give that asswipe a proper burial, either." The Jashinist shrugged.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
At this point, it was hard for Hidan to keep from smiling. But he had to! He'd be damned if he blew his one chance to get back at Deidara, "Zetsu ate the remains. Fuckin' disgusting, if you ask me."  
  
Deidara felt like he was about to throw up. His stomach churned as his head spun. There was no way! It was true, he hated Itachi with a passion. But if Itachi ever met his demise, Deidara wanted it to be at his hands, not somebody else's!  
  
Without a word, the young bomber turned and began to hurry down the hallway. He needed to see Kisame. To ask if it was true.   
  
"Deidara."   
  
The blonde stopped at the mention of his name and turned to see Kakuzu standing behind him, "Huh?"  
  
"I just want to let you know that you don't need to give me back the ten dollars you borrowed."  
  
For a moment, Deidara forget every disgusting image that was plaguing his mind, "Kakuzu, un, are you sick?"  
  
He shook his head slowly, "I'm trying to turn over a new leaf."  
  
"B-but… You don't know how to be anything except a bitter old miser." Deidara replied pointedly.  
  
Kakuzu shot him a glare before turning and stalking off. Deidara stood frozen in the middle of the hallway, unnerved and completely freaked out. To add to his distress, it had been a whole ten minutes and he hadn't heard any exclamations about Tobi being a good boy. And the masked ninja had yet to seek him out and irritate him endlessly.  
  
Without a second thought, Deidara burst into a full force run down the hallway. He skidded around corners and narrowly missed running into walls. But that didn't matter. He needed to see Kisame. To see that someone in this base still had a shred of sanity left. He needed to know that everything would be okay.  
  
"Kisame, un!" Deidara burst through the door of Kisame's room only to find a curled up and crying shark man.  
  
Now, Kisame wasn't really that good of an actor. He, well… Sasori had needed to test the believability of Hidan killing Itachi. So he had presented the idea to Kisame to see how he would react. Apparently the idea wasn't very farfetched and Kisame hadn't stopped crying yet.  
  
Although Sasori felt guilty, he knew it would work perfectly with his plan. He'd apologize to Kisame later.  
  
"K-kisame. Don't tell me…?"  
  
The blue man opened his eyes for a moment and choked out, "H-h-he's dead…"  
  
Deidara felt like his sanity snapped in that moment. He felt his fears begin to take control of him. He ran, faster than he'd run before, for the entrance of the base. He needed to get away before the insanity consumed him. On his way towards the door, he knocked down a very amused Sasori.  
  
"Brat! Where are you going?"  
  
But he got no reply. Deidara didn't even seem to register the words. He kept running full force into the woods. He ran until he was so exhausted the only thing left to do was collapse and cry. And That's what he was about to do. But he couldn't. He didn't cry. He was a man, dammit!  
  
But even men could cry when everything they knew suddenly turned upside down, right?  
  
He sat down with his back against a tree and stared blankly ahead of him. That's it. He didn't think or cry or mourn or fight the insanity in the corners of his mind. He stared and became numb. It was easier that way.  
  
"Deidara!"  
  
The voice snapped him out of his daze. It was Sasori's voice. For a moment, Deidara wanted to run to him. But then the thought about it. What if Sasori had changed, too? Could he handle that much change in one day?  
  
"Brat, where are you?"  
  
Deidara didn't run, but he didn't respond to the call, either. He pulled his knees against his chest and stared ahead of him again. It was only a matter of time until Sasori found him.  
  
"There you are! What are you—Are you okay?" Sasori knelt down beside the ball that was his partner.  
  
Deidara directed his blue eyes up towards his partner but didn't speak. He didn't shake or nod his head or make any other movement. He just looked at Sasori.  
  
"Oh, Dei" Sasori moved so that he was sitting with his back against the tree, as well, "I should have known it was come to this. No, I _knew_ it would. I went over the top, didn't i?"  
  
The blonde simply turned his gaze forwards and listened to his partner speak.  
  
"It was all a joke, Dei. Itachi's fine. He was sent out on a mission last night. Although, Kisame doesn't know that. And Kakuzu doesn't care about your money because I paid him back. It was all just a big joke." Sasori spoke quietly, expecting Deidara to explode in anger.  
  
Instead, Dei muttered two words, "Where's Tobi?"  
  
Despite the situation he found himself in right now, Sasori chuckled, "I sent him on a mission. He should be gone for the next week or so, seeing as it was impossible to complete."  
  
A small smile found Deidra's lips as he turned his head to face Sasori again. He wasn't mad. But he wasn't particularly relieved, either. He had always known he was gullible, but he trusted Sasori to not take advantage of that fact.  
  
"I suppose I deserved this."   
  
Sasori placed an arm around the form that was his lover, "You did. But I'm sorry I went so far. You know I still love you."  
  
Deidara allowed himself to fall against Sasori's chest, "I know. But you know this means that I'm now free to prank you, right?"  
  
All Sasori could do was sigh and hug his blonde.


	11. K: Knickers

Sasori and Deidara were at it again. They had stopped their traveling all together in the midst of their rage, yelling at each other and flailing their arms all around to prove a point.  
  
"What is your problem?" Deidara demanded, thrusting a finger against Sasori's heart container.  
  
Sasori swatted the hand away, shooting a death glare at his partner in the process, "My problem? You sound like an _idiot_. That's what my problem is!"  
  
Deidara flung his arms dramatically in the air, his blonde hair falling behind his shoulders in the process, "All I said was one thing. _One_ thing. It wasn't a big deal."  
  
Sasori rolled his eyes and turned his back on his partner, storming off unceremoniously into the woods. For a moment, the bomber watched as his partner's cloak billowed behind him as he walked quickly away.  
  
"You know what your real problem is?" Deidara yelled, cupping a hand to his mouth to ensure that the red head heard, "You don't have any sense of spontaneity. That's what your problem is."  
  
Sasori halted immediately, spinning on his heels, venom pouring from his glare, "Excuse me?"  
  
Blue eyes didn't flinch as their brown counterpart continued to glare, "You heard me."  
  
"I don't have spontaneity?" He repeated, disbelief evident behind his tone.  
  
"Don't act like you're surprised. You know it's true," The blonde countered, jutting out a hip as if striking a pose, his blue eyes never wavering.  
  
"Well _pardon me_." The scorpion mumbled, sarcasm rich, "for not wanting to enjoy things for a brief moment and wanting to enjoy something everlasting."  
  
An exasperated sigh met his words as Deidara tucked his bang behind his ear, prepared for further argumentation, "It's not even that anymore, un. You plan out everything. _Everything_. You got mad at me for using the word knickers."  
  
"You sounded like an idiot," Sasori countered lamely.  
  
Sky blue eyes rolled back as Deidara fought to keep from strangling his partner, "I didn't even think it through. It was just something I said. And then you had to go throw a fit about it."  
  
"This is not throwing a fit."  
  
That was all Deidara could take. In an instant9, he held his hands up in a familiar sign and his trusty flying steed appeared before him. He jumped quickly onto it's back, soaring away from his partner and into the sunset.   
  
Sasori watched in sheer frustration as his partner took off. He wasn't throwing a fit, dammit! Deidara was just overreacting. He'd simply been trying to prevent the blonde from sounding like a complete idiot. It figured Deidara wouldn't appreciate something like that though.  
  
"Where does he get off?" The red head mused to himself, heading back towards the base again, "Just because I think through what I'm going to say doesn't mean I lack spontaneity."  
  
He shook his head a few times, wiling Deidara's words out of his head. But no matter how hard he tried, they nagged at him the rest of the trip back to the base.  
  
[]-[]-[]-[]-[]-[]-[]-[]-[]-[]-[]  
  
Deidara sat on his bed, hair pulled neatly into a ponytail at the base of his neck, clothes neat and tidy. Sasori trudged through the door a few moments later, looking no worse for wear after their mission.  
  
"Hello. How was your trip back?" Deidara asked, forcing himself to sound as casual as possible.  
  
"Fine," Sasori replied quickly, heading towards his own bed.  
  
"That is splendid news." Deidara feigned a smile, hoping to sugar coat it as much as possible, "I am truly pleased to hear that."  
  
The methodical movements of the puppeteer halted as he turned to look his partner in the face, "Why are you talking like that?"  
  
A slight tilt of the head and a genuinely confused expression met his eyes, "Talking like that? Surely I have no idea what you could be talking about."  
  
Sasori's eyes narrowed as he inspected his partner, "Why is your hair back like that? And your shirt, it's tucked in!" He declared, pointing an accusing finger towards the waistline of Deidara's pants.  
  
Deidara followed Sasori's gaze, "Yes. I didn't want to look unruly." He shrugged as if it were the simplest thing in the world.  
  
Sasori massaged his temples as he stared into blue eyes, "I know what you're doing, you insufferable brat. You're trying to act _polished_. You want me to see how _boring_ it is to be with someone who isn't spontaneous."  
  
"I would never do such a thing."  
  
A heavy sigh escaped Sasori's lips. Deidara was always so childish, resorting to any means to get his point across. Sometimes it really was a wonder that he had fallen in love with the blonde idiot. On the other hand, he knew that his childish, spontaneous nature was part of what he made him the man he was.  
  
"Deidara, stop it. You know I love you for who you are," Sasori mumbled. He had always hated vocalizing his opinions, and yet, Deidara never seemed to stop making him do just that. "And you know that I like when you're spontaneous. It's just not something I enjoy doing."  
  
Said blonde remained quiet for a moment, tilting his head from side to side as he considered his partners words. Finally a smile broke out across his face and he ripped his hair out of its pony tail. He stood from the bed, pulled his shirt out of his pants and ruffled his hair until it fell comfortably across his shoulders and down his back.  
  
"You're just too serious all the time, danna, un." He mumbled, seating himself back on his bed and watching as Sasori began to put things away.  
  
He never halted in his movements and he replied, "And you're too carefree. It's a balance of sorts."  
  
"Not really. You always have your knickers in a bunch."  
  
He froze as brown eyes rounded on him, cold fury brewing behind them, "What did you just say?"  
  
Deidara raised his hands in front of him, a carefree smile on his face, "Nothing, danna! Nothing at all! Go back to unpacking."  
  
There was a long moment of silence before Sasori turned around, muttering "I can't believe I love you" under his breath. There was an even longer moment of silence before Deidara muttered "ditto" followed by a short laugh.


	12. L: Love

Sasori never regretted anything. He never questioned his decisions or looked at anything with any sort of bias. He was completely confident in himself and his decisions.  
  
That is, until he met Deidara.  
  
There was something about that idiotic-potentially-suicidal bomber that allowed him to slip straight past Sasori's defenses. And when he told Sasori that his personality was as hollow as his shell of a body, it actually made the red headed puppeteer feel bad. And that was on the verge of impossibility.   
  
So when Deidara muttered that he'd love Sasori if it were worth it, Sasori had no choice but to ask what he meant.  
  
"You see, danna, there's no point in loving you. You can't _feel_. You can't love me back. That's useless." He had muttered in reply before dismissing the subject entirely.  
  
It seemed that Deidara got over his bought of love sickness in the following weeks, but his words never left Sasori's mind. He wanted to feel Deidara, that much he was sure of. He wanted that silky blonde hair running through his fingers or those plump, pink lips against his own. He wanted all of it, and not even Deidara could make him second guess that.  
  
But that was the only thing Deidara couldn't make him think twice about. His decision to become a puppet quickly became a mental debate. Was it really worth it? Had he been too hasty to give up everything in his raw emotional state? The answer was clearly yes, but his pride still had a hard time allowing him to admit it.  
  
"Deidara, what would you do if I were human?" Sasori asked off-handedly one day, gauging his partner's reaction closely.  
  
Deidara didn't even need to look up from his sketch book in order to answer, "I'd probably throw you against that wall and kiss you like tomorrow didn't exist."  
  
Those words were the deciding factor for Sasori. He worked for weeks to create some sort of jutsu that would allow him to return to a human form. A form where he could feel that sexy blonde against him.  
  
When he first showed Deidara his new jutsu, Deidara lived up to his word. He lifted Sasori by the collar and slammed him into the wall, wasting no time in finding his lips and kissing him till he nearly passed out.  
  
In that instant, Sasori knew he was right to listen to the blonde and to change himself back into a human. What he didn't know is that things would only get better as he continued to remain human.  
  
There was no way to describe how good it felt to have Deidara against him. What was even harder to describe was the way Sasori felt when he found out that Deidara had not one mouth, but _four_.  
  
He was almost certain that he would explode the first time he felt four tongues work against his hot flesh. He had always expected Deidara would be naturally skilled in the bedroom but he never could have predicted something of this nature. The raw talent of four different mouths would be hard for anyone to handle, let alone someone just becoming human after years of being void of every sort of feeling.  
  
Sasori often thought that being content was when he was able to sit there, self assured in his decisions and ignorant to the opinions of those around him. But when Deidara hovered over him, kissing him like he'd kill for one more kiss, he realized that his own opinions couldn't have mattered less. What mattered was the person above him who had stolen his heart.  
  
Deidara quickly became a guiding factor for Sasori who no longer remembered what it was like to be human and to have feelings and needs. He often relied on the young blonde to explain what he was feeling or what he needed.   
  
But the young blonde never minded. He was more than happy to help. Because watching Sasori experience emotions and being able to read his feelings deep inside his eyes made Deidara complete inside. So what if he got frustrated on occasion? Everyone did.  
  
"Danna, yeah? I can never explain to you how much it means that you did something like this for me." Deidara mumbled against the warm flesh of Sasori's chest one night.  
  
A soft rumble sounded from his chest before a soft reply came, "I can never explain to you how much _you_ mean to me."  
  
As Sasori began to get a grip of being human again, things only managed to improve between the two of them. They became inseparable. But that was exactly the way they both wanted it.  
  
Late in the fall a few years after the initial change, Sasori led Deidara out under the moonlight. He held his blonde close before dropping to one knee before him.  
  
"Deidara, you have turned my life upside down. You have changed me into a better person. You are my love. My life. And the only thing in this world that could make me happier would be if you married me. Please?"  
  
A soft smile controlled Deidara's lips as he nodded in reply before hugging his love close and never letting go.  
  
Because if what they shared wasn't love, such a thing didn't exist.


	13. M: Music

There was one thing (and yes, there really was only _one_ ) that Sasori and Deidara could enjoy simultaneously. There was one thing that allowed them to sit in the same room together without arguing or fighting with one another. One thing.  
  
That one thing would be music.   
  
Although they each had different views on music itself, they both enjoyed it to no end. And when it comes to music, there's no talking necessary. Only sitting and listening. That's what they did.  
  
Of course when they would be in the heat of one of their arguments, this tended to be a topic that came up.  
  
Sasori loved music because it lasted. You could listen to it over and over again. It would replay in your head. It was something you could pass on to others for them to listen to and enjoy as well.  
  
Deidara loved music because it was so free and easy to create. He never wrote down a single song he created. He would pick up the guitar and strum his fingers gently across the cords, creating a beautiful, one of a kind, once in a lifetime song. And when he was done, he'd put his guitar down and that would be the end of it. Brief.  
  
Of course, Deidara knew that Sasori hated his view on music and art in general. What he didn't know, however, was why.   
  
As much as he hated to admit it, Sasori had to acknowledge that Deidara created the most beautiful music he had ever heard. And, well, he'd been around awhile. He attributed it to the fact that Deidara played from his heart. He only picked up his guitar when he was feeling something strong, whether negative or positive. And he spoke through his music.  
  
It would remain in Sasori's head and haunt him for days. It always left him longing for more. But he could never have a repeat. There was never an encore. Once Deidara put the guitar down, Sasori knew he'd never hear that beautiful music again. And that's what bothered him the most.  
  
Sasori valued eternity because of things exactly like this. Things that were too beautiful to simply give up in the blink of an eye. Things that only he got to enjoy, not anybody else. Because Deidara refused to play his music to anyone other than Sasori.  
  
And so, it became that the only time the two of them could get along with one another would be the times Deidara found himself incapable of getting along with anyone else.  It would be those nights when Deidara stormed into their shared room, frustrated to the point of tears. It would be those times where they didn't speak with one another, because they didn't need to.  
  
Deidara would sit on his bed, pull the guitar out from underneath, close his eyes and begin strumming. He'd fill their dimly lit room with a soft melody that could bring Sasori to his knees, overwhelmed with emotions he could have sworn he no longer experienced.   
  
They never spoke a word to each other. The sweet song that Deidara played spoke for him. And Sasori was left far too breathless to be able to utter a word. He'd find himself frozen in his movements, paralyzed until the tune stopped.  
  
And once it was done, Deidara would put his guitar away and Sasori would flawlessly move back into creating his puppets. And somehow, they always felt a little closer after this happened.  
  
It really was no wonder they fell in love with one another. Although neither of them would ever admit that. With words, at least,


	14. N: Names

Deidara and Sasori had many names for one another. Most of them were far from what one would call a _pet-name_ and they generally had more of a negative connotation than a positive one.  
  
 _Blondie.  
Insufferable nuisance.  
Reckless idiot.  
Hollow bastard.  
Pinocchio.  
Woody._  
  
However, they each did have one nickname for the other that they said with a certain fondness.   
  
Maybe it was the way the name rolled off his tongue that made him like it, Deidara mused. Maybe it was the fact that it was the only name Sasori didn't protest to that made him smile a little when using it. Or maybe, although he liked to think this didn't contribute to his liking of the name, it was because it had a double meaning.  
  
 _Danna_.  
  
It had originally started off as a sign of respect. Sasori was his mentor, his partner and his elder. It was only appropriate for him to address him in such a manner. Sasori-No-Danna. But the formality of the name had long since dropped. It quickly became Sasori-Danna and then turned into Danna. No Sasori, no formality, nothing other than the name. And, although Deidara still did respect the puppet master, the formality of the name had dropped.  
  
He didn't call the red head Danna to symbolize his respect. He called him Danna because nobody else did. Because he was the one closest to Sasori's heart, even if that really wasn't all that close. He called Sasori Danna because it just seemed to fit.  
  
And, well, Sasori would be lying to say he didn't like the name.  
  
He would also be lying to say that he didn't have a term of endearment for his pain in the ass partner.  
  
Maybe it was because Sasori was the only person who could get away with using the nickname. Maybe it was because it really did fit Deidara to a tee that Sasori found himself using it, even when he hated pet names. Or maybe, although he would never actually admit this to be the case, it was the fact that it made him feel closer to the blonde.  
  
 _Brat_.  
  
Sure, he had originally begun to call Deidara that because he acted like a brat and annoyed Sasori to no end. But the bomber had long since outgrown his irritating tendencies and the nickname remained. Sasori no longer associated the nickname with the actions of his partner. No, when he heard the name, he simply pictured the blonde's face.  
  
Sasori still referred to Deidara as brat because it was something only he could do, and that made him happy (although he liked to attribute it to the sense of power it gave him, rather than the warm feeling in his gut). He referred to him as brat as a sense of continuity. In a way, it was a sign of respect. The nickname would be everlasting, as would Sasori's association of Deidara to the name.  
  
In some weird way, Sasori had made Deidara a part of his art with the name.  
  
It bothered him, honestly, that Deidara had somehow won him over in such a manner. It bothered him that he allowed Deidara to have a pet name for him, as well. But he found that it wasn't something he wanted to change, either.  
  
So they began to learn where they stood with one another based off of the way they were addressed. If any of their petty nicknames were mentioned, they knew they were not on the other's good side. And when their personal pet names were used, they knew that things were better than they seemed.  
  
And so it was so much more meaningful when Deidara would whisper a simple "I love you, Danna," and Sasori would reply with a quiet "I love you too, brat."


	15. O: Opaque

Sasori and Deidara's differences were numerous, and everyone knew that. Put aside their physical differences _(Height, hair color, eye color, stature, etc…)_ and their differences were less apparent, although certainly still there.  
  
Their biggest difference, however, wasn't much of a difference at all. As far as all the members of the Akatsuki could tell, Deidara was very, _very_ transparent- he always showed what he was feeling. Sasori, on the other hand was very, _very_ opaque- you wouldn't be able to tell what he felt even if you had insight into his head.  
  
It was really a wonder that they got along so well when they had such fundamental differences. But then again, maybe it wasn't weird at all.  
  
"Deidara will you quit moping?" Sasori growled, rounding on his partner.  
  
Said blonde looked up from his spot on the ground, forcing a controlled expression instead of the sad one he had currently occupying his features. "Sorry, Danna."  
  
Sasori sighed, rubbing his temples and turning back to the fire he was trying to stoke in front of them. After a few failed attempts, Deidara stood from his spot and gently moved his partner aside, kindling the fire with a little help from his explosives. After the fire had been successfully created, the two took seats on opposite sides.  
  
Deidara sat quietly staring at the fire, a serene expression on his face and Sasori was at least thankful that he had listened and stopped moping. But as he watched his partner, a realization dawned on him.  
  
"Deidara?"  
  
The boy looked up from the fire, his cool blue eyes meeting the reddish brown eyes of his elder partner, "Hmm?"  
  
For a moment- just a moment only- Sasori wavered. But, he pushed his hesitation aside and sucked in a deep breath, "What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
Deidara turned his attention immediately back to the fire, that calm expression still laid out across his features. Sasori watched him with heightened interest. The blonde looked completely content with himself. Nothing about him suggested that he was still upset or holding onto something. Well, that's not true. Only one thing showed what he was really feeling- his eyes.  
  
"Tell me what's wrong." Sasori pressed, leaning slightly closer to the fire.  
  
"I already did," Came the reply as nothing but his lips moved, "Nothing."  
  
When the red-head spoke next, he heard the crack in his own voice and there was no doubt in his mind that Deidara had picked up on it, too. "Don't lie. I know something's wrong. Just tell me what it is."  
  
The two locked gazes for the second time. Sasori's worry and slight fear was written plainly across his face and he made no attempt to hide it. Whereas, Deidara's face was completely blank, lacking any sort of expression and he didn't seem to be willing to talk.  
  
However, he sighed and lowered his gaze back to the fire, "It's just something stupid. We're going back to my home town."  
  
"I thought you hated it there?"   
  
"I do." He sighed, "And I was hoping I would never have to go back. And yet, here we are, headed back."  
  
A small smile played at the edges of Sasori's lips. He knew what the others thought of them. He knew that he was considered the stoic, indestructible one while Deidara was considered the predictable, careless one. What they didn't know, however, was how wrong they were.  
  
When something really bothered Deidara, he locked up. He didn't show any sign of being upset or speak a word of it to anyone unless really pressed on the issue. On the other hand, Sasori was unable to keep from showing if something really upset him. And he was likely to talk to nearly anyone about it.  
  
"We'll be in and out. You'll barely even have time to register where you are." He consoled.  
  
Deidara laughed bitterly, "Yeah. But if something goes wrong, un, I'm blowing the whole damn place up."  
  
As his laughter died down, silence fell over them and Sasori once again turned to his thoughts. He and Deidara really couldn't be more opposite sometimes. But, although they felt oppositely most of the time, they both felt the same feelings at one time or another. It allowed for a silent understanding between the other. And because they each knew how the other felt at all times, they knew how to cheer one another up.  
  
"Well, let's just say I won't be stopping you."  
  
A genuine smile flashed on Deidara's lips for a moment, "Thanks, Danna, un."  
  
Sasori smiled back before turning to the fire again. Yes, they were different. But they were also similar in ways nobody but them knew. And that's what made them strong and allowed them to endure any and everything.


	16. P: Paint

"Where have you been, brat?" Sasori spat without looking up the moment he heard the door open behind him.  
  
The offending blonde walked in without a trace of remorse or fear towards the tone of his partner. He set a bag down on his bed before shedding his cloak and hanging it up behind the door. "Just buying some paint."  
  
" _Paint?_ " Sasori actually stopped what he was doing to turn and look at his partner. "I thought you gave up painting?"  
  
Deidara shrugged casually, sitting down on his bed and unloading the bag. "I've decided to try a new type."  
  
"Of paint?"  
  
"Of _painting_." He corrected carefully, holding up a bottle of red liquid.  
  
Sasori stood from his spot at his workbench and crossed the room. He took the bottle out of the blonde's hands and read the label before looking up with wide eyes, " _Oh, no._ "  
  
"Oh, _yes_." Deidara replied, laying the rest of the bottles on the floor.  
  
The redhead looked back down at the bottle he still held in his grasp. Body paint? No, it wasn't even just body paint. It was _edible_ body paint. Deidara had to be crazy if he thought- _oh god_ , how did this happen?  
  
"No. No, I will not partake in this."  
  
A soft purr escaped Deidara's lips as he stood from the bed and closed the space between him and his elder partner. Sasori looked anywhere but those blue eyes, for he knew they could get him to do anything. Unfortunately, however, his eyes ended up resting on Deidara's hips as he walked over. _Oh,_ the sway of those hips…  
  
"Please, Danna, un?" Deidara whispered in his ear, trailing his fingers gently along Sasori's jaw line. It was moments like these that made Sasori regret turning himself into a human again. If he were still a puppet, he wouldn't be able to feel this, thusly being able to say no.  
  
"Why?" The question was feeble and lacked any sort of conviction. Internally he cursed himself for already sounding so weak to Deidara's will.  
  
Deidara nipped gently at his hear before breathing out another quiet response, "Because. I want to _taste_ you."  
  
The words sent a chill down Sasori's spine and he felt all of his resolve disappear at the words. Deidara, being as in tune to Sasori as he was, gripped the other male by his hips and pulled him close, leaving a trail of kisses down his neck. His hands then moved to the hem of Sasori's shirt and pulled it over his head.  
  
Deidara surveyed his bare chest for a moment, a smile coming across his lips. "Ah, yes. I like this canvas very much, hmm."  
  
Without another word, Deidara led Sasori over to his bed and pushed him down so he was sitting on it. He then crouched at Sasori's feet, separated his legs and settled himself on the floor between them. Sasori was forced to look away- it was the only thing he could do to keep his cheeks from matching his hair.  
  
The blonde surveyed the bottles of paint that sat on the floor next to them before plucking the purple away from the others. He unscrewed the cap, dipped his fingers in the paint and turned to look at the other male. Sasori had returned his gaze to the younger boy and was fascinated with his movements.  
  
"Now, what to draw, hmm?" The bomber mused, staring at his canvas.  
  
The feeling of his cool hands on the exposed skin of his chest was thrilling for Sasori. He could feel flames where Deidara's fingers had danced across his skin. He bit his lower lip in an attempt to keep still and silent.  
  
"Hm. No. No, that won't do." Deidara mused, staring at what he had just drawn. Deciding that he needed to change his drawing, he placed his clean hand on Sasori's thigh and pulled himself up until he was on his knees. Then, without warning, he leant forward and dragged his tongue across the drawing he had just completed.  
  
It took all of his will power for Sasori to not moan at the feeling of Deidara's tongue on his heated flesh. He grabbed fistfuls of the sheets and bit his tongue as Deidara continued to lick across his chest in order to remove his mistake.  
  
Finally, he stopped and looked back at his blank canvas. "Let's try this again."  
  
He looked down at his purple fingers then back at the chest before him. Next he looked at the paint bottles next to him. Sighing, he placed his two fingers into his mouth and began to suck and lick at them until the color disappeared. The redhead's mouth hung open as he watched in awe.  
  
Pretending not to notice the look on Sasori's face, Deidara reached for the red that he had taken back from his lover previously. He opened the lid and dipped his fingers in again and turned back to his canvas. This time he carefully wrote out the word "mine" in large, bold letters.  
  
He removed his hand and sucked on one of his fingers again, observing his handiwork. Once he was sure it would stay and he had cleaned one finger, he looked up to the redhead, "You know, this stuff is really good. Strawberry. You really ought to try."  
  
Without a word, Sasori reached down and took the blonde's hand in his own. He pulled it to his mouth and stuck his remaining red finger in his mouth, making sure to clean it off in his most seductive manner. Deidara gaped, but then smiled. It seemed he wasn't going to be the only one teasing.  
  
"You're right. It does taste like strawberry." Sasori commented casually as he released the finger from his mouth. He looked down into the blue eyes of his partner with determination now.  
  
Oh, if he was getting dragged into this, he was going to make it worthwhile.  
  
Quietly the blonde drew the blue from the crowd of paints and opened the lid. He coated his fingers and began to etch against the smooth skin of his partner. Sasori watched again, trying to bite back a moan. Once Deidara was done, he went to cap the bottle, but was stopped by another hand grabbing his.  
  
Sasori took the blue away from his partner and coated his own fingers in it before drawing across Deidara's neck and shoulders. The bomber froze at the touch, suddenly worried that the tables had been turned on him.  
  
"Oops, I think I messed up," Sasori mused, sliding off the bed and straddling his partner's lap. Deidara didn't move an inch as the puppeteer began to lick and nip at his neck and jaw.  
  
"Mmm. Blueberry." He whispered against the flesh of Deidara's neck.  
  
A soft chuckle escaped Dei's lips. Oh, so it was war Sasori wanted? Then it was war he would get.  
  
Quickly he flipped them over, pinning the elder of the two to the ground with his hips (which, Sasori couldn't help but notice, were pressed firmly against his own hips). He grabbed the green this time and began to draw lines around the waistband of the other's pants.  
  
As he slid lower, making sure not to lift his body as he did so, Sasori gripped the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head. Deidara allowed this to happen with no arguments before he began licking away the paint, pushing his partner's pants down a little as he went.  
  
Sasori fumbled with the lid of the yellow paint before dipping his fingers in and tracing lines across Deidara's back. It was enough to cause the blonde to freeze. From there, Sasori dipped his fingers in the paint again and drew across his chest, knowing it was one of Deidara's weakest points.  
  
Against his will and much to his dismay, Deidara let a low sound escape his mouth at the feeling.   
  
_Damn._ He had been doing so good, too!  
  
This simply increased his resolve. He wasn't the one who was supposed to be making those noises, Sasori was! Without warning he bit down just inside Sasori's hipbone and began to gently lap at the skin. Sasori bit his tongue but couldn't hold in the noises.   
  
_Success._  
  
"You know, Danna." He murmured, brushing his lips against his partners, his words a soft whisper against the other, "I think I've got my muse back."  
  
Sasori grabbed his partner's hips and slid down, lapping away at the yellow paint on his chest. Deidara gripped the carpet and bent his head down, his entire body tense as he tried to keep himself quiet.  
  
"Oh really?" Sasori whispered, his lips forming the words on the tender skin of Deidara's chest, his tongue accentuating every word. "Why don't you show me?"  
  
The blonde stood up immediately, pulling his partner to his feet as well. He bit his lower lip as he turned to face the bed- it was all he could do not to ravish Sasori then and there. He pushed Sasori down on the bed, leaving the rest of the paint abandoned on the floor.  
  
Not even a moment later, Deidara dove on top of his partner, ready to show him just was his muse could do.


	17. Q: Quest

Love's a quest with a simple destination but complicated path. It's impossible to use someone else's method for love.  
  
No, love depends on _you_. Where you are in life, where you want to go and what you need are some factors of love.  
  
Deidara knew where he was in his life, but he didn't know where he was going. He knew he needed something, _someone_.  
  
Then he was paired with Sasori and his quest ended. He still didn't know where he was going in life, but he knew he wasn't going alone anymore. And really, that was more than enough.


	18. R: Rays

The air was warm for the first time in ages. The trees were beginning to bud and the grass was starting to return to the green color Deidara loved so much. It was days like these that he found himself incapable of staying inside. Something about the blue skies and rays of sunlight called to him.  
  
Of course, Sasori refused to come outside. he had a mission to prepare for and a puppet to finish. However, Deidara didn't mind being outside alone. It gave him a chance to relax and think.  
  
So, he sat comfortably at the edge of a nearby lake, his coat discarded beside him, and he mused about everything. Except, no matter what part of life he focused on, he found himself boarding a train of thought that led him right back to Sasori.  
  
It was true that the redhead was brash, short tempered and stubborn. But then again, everyone was like that at times. Nobody can be flawless. Plus, beyond those few things, Sasori didn't really have any other flaws. And the positives about him far outweighed the negatives.  
  
He could be caring. He really could be. Once he found out something was wrong or bothering Deidara, he wouldn't let it go until he has fixed it. Especially if it's his fault. He is thoughtful. He has a tendency t come home from missions with little gifts he thinks the bomber will like. He is a great kisser. Although that's self explanatory, it's damn true.  
  
A slight smile covered Deidara's lips at the thought. He stretched out and laid back, closing his eyes against the rays of sunlight.   
  
Sasori had become everything to Deidara. His partner. His friend. The person who made him laugh. The one who kept him from crying. The last thought on his mind before bed and the first when he woke up. He was the rays of light and happiness that illuminated every part of Deidara's life.  
  
He was Deidara's one true love.  
  
And, although he could be stubborn and closed off, Deidara never doubted Sasori's feelings for him. How could he doubt the one person who had proved they would always be there for him? How could he doubt the person who looked past his flaws and saw nothing but beauty? How could he doubt the rays of light and happiness that Sasori provided him with?  
  
He knew the answer to that. He couldn't. And he didn't want to. He loved Sasori more than he loved the warming rays of sun on his face after a long, cold winter.


	19. S: Soft

Deidara liked soft things. Like bunnies and plush blankets and fuzzy bathrobes. He liked them because they were enjoyable to touch. And they were warm.  
  
Sasori was not soft.  
  
No, he was hard and cold and rather uncomfortable to lie against. It was, however, enjoyable to run fingers over him, although for an entirely different reason.  
  
  
Sasori hated soft things. They made him think of weakness. Something so soft had to be easy to execute. And he couldn't feel much in terms of temperature so their warmth went unappreciated by him.  
  
Deidara was soft.  
  
Yes, he was warm and bendable and always on the verge of breaking. He was easy to dominate. Although, that wasn't exactly a bad thing.  
  
  
Despite the fact that they had entirely opposite feelings, they had no problems with each other. Because, for some reason, Sasori was comfortable at night when they were all cuddled together. And that happened to be the only time Sasori desired to be warm.  
  
Because, really, their feelings didn't matter when they were alone. Because they both knew they could never hate a single thing about the other. Not with a love like this.


	20. T: Time

_Tick-Tock_  
  
Time passes by in the blink of an eye. Afterall, isn't that what life is? Fleeting?  
  
 _Tick-Tock_  
  
Deidara has long since accepted that he will only be a brief flicker of light in Sasori's life. But as long as he burns brightly in that time, he'll be happy.  
  
 _Tick-Tock_  
  
Sasori knows that Deidara can't stay with him forever. But these feelings and memories can. No matter how many years pass, he will never forget Deidara.  
  
 _Tick-Tock_  
  
Their love, so beautiful, fulfilling and powerful, is fleeting in number of breaths but everlasting in their hearts.  
  
 _Tick-Tock_


	21. Umbrella

Rain pounded against the ground and there was no cover in sight. No caves, no trees, no villages, nothing. They had found themselves in the middle of a barren wasteland during the worst storm either of them had encountered in a long time.  
  
Deidara had his long hair tucked under his cloak and they both had their straw hats pulled as low as they could while still being able to see.  
  
"This storm is ridiculous!" Deidara yelled, the clap of thunder hiding the slight tremor in his voice.  
  
He had always hated thunderstorms; not the rain or the lightning _(how could he have hated lightening when he loved explosions so much?)_ , but the thunder. The loud, jarring sound of the thunder had always ~~terrified~~ bothered him.  
  
Sasori had stopped walking and held a hand up to block the rain from his eyes as he looked around. Faintly in the distance he could see an outcropping of rocks. Wordlessly, he gestured to it and, once Deidara saw what he saw, they hustled off in hopes of finding shelter.  
  
The rain had soaked through their cloaks a long time ago and the wet fabric made them more cold instead of warm. They moved slowly and carefully across the soaked ground, close enough to each other to bump shoulders on occasion, lest they lose sight of each other. The rain was falling is such heavy sheets that if they got only a few feet apart--well, who knew how long it would be until they saw each other again.  
  
The rocks came upon them suddenly, almost rising out of nowhere, and they were both relieved. The hustled into a small, narrow passage between two of the largest rocks. The downpour of rain decreased considerably as they moved further down the path, but it never disappeared completely. And, much to their dismay,there were no caves or caverns in sight.  
  
"It looks like we'll have to--" Deidara broke off as a loud crack of thunder tore through the area. He bit his tongue for a moment after the noise died down before completing his sentence as calmly as he could, "Have to make camp here and just wait out the storm, un."  
  
Sasori _(as usual)_ appeared to already be a step ahead of him. He had discarded his backpack and was sitting as close to the rocks as possible. His hat still hung low over his eyes, but Deidara could see the lower portion of his face. Vaguely he saw Sasori's lips move, but he wasn't able to hear the words that accompanied the movement.  
  
"What?" He yelled over the rain.  
  
Sasori looked up, pushing his hat away so he could look his partner in the eyes, "Come here."  
  
Deidara did as beckoned and moved to sit next to his older partner. The two huddled together, hoping to gain some sort of warmth from one another. They didn't speak--they wouldn't have been able to hear each other, even if they had tried to hold a conversation.  
  
Finally, Sasori got fed up with being wet _(it was one of the things he hated most in life)_ , and stood up, moving away from his partner. Without a word he bent forwards a little, shielding the scroll in his hand from the rain. Deidara watched as he made familiar hand signs and out of nowhere, Hiruko appeared.  
  
Sasori quickly rolled the scroll up and stashed it away again, before opening Hiruko. He looked up to Deidara and motioned for him to come join _(he had always wondered if Hiruko was big enough for two people to fit inside.)_.  
  
To be honest, Deidara was skeptical. And afraid. Mostly afraid. He had learned his lesson about laying his hands on his Danna's items, especially his puppets, and it wasn't exactly an action he wished to repeat. But he had also learned what happened if he ignore a command from the puppeteer.  
  
Really, it was a lose-lose situation. The only factor that allowed him to make a decision was the storm. If he was going to get pummeled either way for his choice, he might as well be at least a little dry when it happens.  
  
So, he stood up and walked over to where Sasori was and climbed quietly into Hiruko. The red-head climbed in immediately after him and pulled the puppet shut, instantly blocking them both from the storm.  
  
Another clap of thunder sounded and Deidara found himself hugging his knees to his chest instinctively. Sasori looked over at him somberly, "Is something wrong?"  
  
"I-I'm not a fan of thunder, yeah." He muttered lamely into his knees, hoping his partner wouldn't be able to hear it over the storm and drop the topic.  
  
Unfortunately, although not unexpectedly, Sasori caught every word. With a slight smile, he moved to sit closer to his partner, wrapping an arm protectively around his shoulder. "Don't worry, you're safe here. You've got Hiruko and I to keep you safe."  
  
Suprised wouldn't even begin to describe the way Deidara felt. But he was grateful and wasn't going to push it. Instead, he settled on asking a different question than the ones burning on the forefront of his mind. "Danna, un? Why did you get Hiruko out for us? He's getting wet." _(And that was **the** thing Sasori hated most in life)_.  
  
Sasori simply shrugged. Silence wrapped around them like a blanket--although without the warming effect. They huddled together, trying to warm themselves up again as the storm raged on outside.   
  
Finally, Deidara sighed. He was begging to get tired and was regaining a decent amount of his body head. His hair was mostly dry and he still had Sasori in close proximity. He was already halfway asleep by the time he registered the words slipping past his lips, "Thank you."  
  
He knew that Sasori understood the meaning behind those words. It wasn't just a thank you for the shelter, but for protecting him from the storm, sacrificing his beloved puppet for him and for keeping him warm and caring about him.   
  
It was also a thank you for giving him the kind of moment he had always dreamed about _(although he hoped that part of the thank you was lost on Sasori)_.  
  
With a slight smile, Sasori looked down at his nearly sleeping partner. He would never admit it, but Deidara was worth far more than Hiruko or even all of his puppets put together. He also wouldn't admit that this was the kind of moment _he_ had always dreamed about. But something told him that, just as he understood Deidara's meaning, Deidara understood his.  
  
So, he simply said, "If you tell anyone about this, I'll kill you."


	22. V: Volume

Deidara liked to have lots of volume in his hair. He liked to have it full and fluffy and touchably soft. Not just for his own benefit, either. _(Although he certainly did enjoy it.)_  
  
Sasori liked the volume Deidara put in his hair for many reasons. Firstly, it gave him _(yet another)_ thing to tease the poor blonde about. _(Although it wasn't uncalled for--Deidara did look like a girl)._  
  
Mostly, though, Sasori liked it because it was soft. Although he hated soft things _(he'd be damned if he ever found another soft thing pleasant)_ , he loved Deidara. And soft, voluminous hair was just a part of who he was.  
  
So, he had no choice but to love it.


	23. W: Words

Deidara had always been a verbal person. If something bothered him, he confronted it head on and worked through it instead of avoiding the issue and hoping it resolved itself. And if he had a problem with a person, he sure as hell talked it out with them. Life was too short to waste avoiding problems, he thought.  
  
Sasori, on the other hand, tended to simply throw away whatever it was that was causing him a problem. The only time he didn't simply discard something was when it was of very, _very_ great importance to him. This happened on occasion with inanimate objects. But now, for the first time, it was happening with a person. And he had no idea how to deal with it.  
  
"Why won't you just tell me what I've done?" Deidara bit out, leaning back against the door to their room with his arms crossed over his chest.  
  
Sasori ran a hand through his mop of red hair, letting out an exasperated sigh. "It's not important. I'll get over it. Just forget it."  
  
"Like hell I'll forget it," Deidara challenged, his blue eyes turning icy, "If I messed up, I want to know so I don't do it again."  
  
"It's not something you can fix. It's not—" Sasori clamped his mouth shut, but it was too late. Deidara had already figured out what he was going to say.  
  
"It's not something I'm doing? Is that what you were going to say, Danna?"  
  
Sasori sighed again. He'd just trapped himself in his own words and he knew it. Now he either had to figure out how to verbalize his problem or… or knock Deidara out and run like hell until the blonde calmed down. And although the second option sounded tempting, he knew it was the wrong option.  
  
He opened his mouth to speak, hoping to just wing it and have the right words come out when another idea struck him. A third option. It was a long shot, but it saved him from stuttering and stumbling over his words.  
  
Silently, Sasori stood up and crossed the room to his partner. Deidara didn't move as the other male approached him, his expression remaining indifferent, if not cold. As soon as Sasori reached Deidara, he grabbed the blonde by the collar of his cloak and tugged him down and into a fierce kiss.  
  
Deidara made a noise of surprise and stumbled forwards into his partner. Both of them tripped a few steps into the room before regaining their balance. The kiss was sloppy and unpracticed, but still nice.  
  
Finally, after a few moments, Sasori pulled away and met his partner's gaze with a stern expression, "Does that answer your question?"  
  
Instead of answering, Deidara leaned down and kissed Sasori again. Because, for the first time in his life, he had learned what they had always meant by "Actions speak louder than words".


	24. X: X-Ray

Deidara was throwing a fit.  
  
Clay bombs were exploding everywhere as everyone in the Akatsuki base ran for cover. Well, everyone except Pein and Sasori that, is.  
  
"Brat, stop blowing up the base!" Sasori yelled over another explosion. Deidara didn't even acknowledge his words as he put his good hand back into his pouch of clay that hung around his waist. "Brat! Deidara! Don't you dare—"  
  
Pein held up a hand to stop the puppet master and took a few steps towards the wild-eyed Deidara, "Come now, it'll be okay. Deidara, it's just an X-Ray. We want to see how badly your arm is broken. It'll be really quick, I swear."  
  
"Like hell!" Deidara screamed, shaking his long hair behind his shoulders, "That—that _thing_ ," he pointed at the x-ray machine that stood behind Pein and Sasori, "is a death trap! I'm not stupid, un!"  
  
"Don't I wish!" Sasori cried, throwing his hands up in the air. "Killing you off would probably be easier than getting you to take an x-ray at this point!"  
  
His exclamation seemed to break through to Deidara. It was only a teeny-tiny crack in his paranoid behavior, but it was enough to get him to halt his constant assault on the base. He stared at Sasori in silence for a moment, letting his words sink in.   
  
Sasori took this break to take a few steps closer to his partner. He lifted his hands in front of him, palms facing Deidara, and continued to approach slowly. Deidara watched skeptically as the redhead crept closer, but made no move to stop him.  
  
Finally, Sasori stood just in front of Deidara. He leaned in and began to whisper to his partner.  
  
"Really, Danna? Promise, un?" Deidara cried, his face breaking out into a smile. With a sigh, Sasori nodded. "And we won't tell anyone what we're doing, right?"  
  
Sasori finished reassuring the blonde before bringing him over. He kept hold of Deidara's good hand the entire time that Pein laid him down and took x-rays of his arm. The whole process took no more than ten minutes.  
  
"Okay, we should be all set. It'll take a little while for these to develop so I'll get back to you in a bit with how we are going to heal your arm." Deidara nodded happily at his words before nearly running out of the room, calling for Sasori to follow him. Pein stepped up, "Wait, Sasori."  
  
The redhead stopped and looked at the leader, "Yes?"  
  
"What is it that," He paused, not sure he wanted to finish his question. Finally his curiosity of the best of him so he completed it, "You promised him to make him get the x-ray?"  
  
Sasori glanced out the door to where Deidara was waiting not-so-patiently, "Simple. I'm taking him to get ice cream."  
  
" _Seriously?_ "  
  
Sasori smiled. "He's a big kid, what can I say?"  
  
All Pein could do was laugh in relief.


	25. Y: Yes

Everything was set up perfectly. They had reservations for dinner and, for once, Deidara wasn't running late. Everything was going according to Sasori's plan.   
  
He leant against the doorjamb, waiting on his boyfriend to hurry up so they could leave. He wore a pair of perfectly fitting jeans and a navy sweater. A moment later, Deidara walked out in a pair of equally perfectly fitting jeans, a blue and white striped sweater and a blue scarf wrapped around his neck.  
  
Without a word, Deidara slid his hand into Sasori's, entwining their fingers and headed for the door. They walked quietly to the restaurant, and taking their seats. They ordered dinner and chatted idly about their day. How was work? Are you looking forward to the weekend? Your customer said _what?_  
  
Their food came and they ate quickly. Deidara yawned as they left, speaking about how he was ready to go home and go to bed.  
  
"Are you staying the night tonight?"  
  
Sasori looked up. The two didn't live together yet. They often stayed at one another's house, but they still each had their own separate residence. Instead of answering Deidara's question, though, Sasori replied, rather unhelpfully, "I don't want to go home yet."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Just—follow me. I want to go to the park."  
  
Deidara didn't protest. He was a little confused by Sasori's sudden desire to go to the park—he hated the park more often than not, always complaining about there being too many people—but he didn't let that show. Plus, he had the next day off so he could sleep as long as he felt like. There was no reason to rush Sasori home now.  
  
On the walk to the park, the redhead started up more idly chatter, hoping to hide his level of nervousness. Deidara seemed blissfully oblivious (as always) to what was going on and went on about one of his rude customers and how they dared say that his hair was feminine.  
  
Sasori continued to placate his partner as they walked to their bench. The bench they had met at. The one Sasori had asked Deidara out at four years previously. The one they went to whenever they were celebrating something major. It was only fitting that they would be there tonight.  
  
As soon as their bench came into view, Deidara stopped dead, "What is today? What did I forget? Dinner, our bench. Oh _god_ , I am the _worst_ boyfriend ever. Whatever I forgot—I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"  
  
Sasori couldn't help but smile as he pulled him along, "You didn't forget anything, calm down. Just come sit down."  
  
They moved together to the bench. Deidara sat down, expecting Sasori to take the seat next to him. Instead, Sasori dropped to one knee in front of him, a black box suddenly appearing in his hand. Immediately, Deidara was covering his mouth with his hand. _No way!_  
  
"Deidara, darling, we've spent over four years together and you have made me happier than anything else. You know how to cheer me up when I'm sad and how to make me laugh when I'm mad. You know that no matter how mad I get when you put the paint back in the wrong order, I still love you more than anything. It doesn't feel right to sleep in a bed without you there anymore." He paused, meeting Deidara's watery blue eyes, "You know how much I love you. How I would do anything to please you. And I know you would do anything to please me. So now, I ask you, please, _please_ continue to make me happy for the rest of my life. I know only you can. Will you marry me?"  
  
The words had barely passed his lips when Deidara had tackled him to the ground exclaiming, "Yes, yes! For the rest of my life, _yes!_ "


	26. Z: Zero

"Sometimes you really make me mad, Brat." Sasori murmured from his spot on the ground.  
  
Deidara laid with his head in Sasori's lap, eyes half open as he stared at the fire. His body was numb and thoughts were moving through his mind at an incredibly sluggish pace. But, even though it was frustrating, he didn't care. Because he knew now that he was safe.  
  
"Honestly, Deidara." Sasori chided, his voice soft as he ran his fingers through long blond hair, "You work with me, the poison master. How on earth did you manage to get yourself poisoned?"  
  
A soft chuckled managed to pass Deidara's lips. Sasori was, of course, right. He should have seen something like this coming. He opened his mouth to reply, but his tongue felt thick and clumsy and he found it nearly impossible to get the words out.  
  
"You're just lucky," The redhead continued on, seemingly unaware that Deidara was even awake anymore. He probably thought he was just talking to himself to relieve frustration, "That I have an antidote to every poison. But more than that, you're lucky that I had this specific antidote on me at the time."  
  
Again, he was right. But Deidara didn't care. He wanted to blame his lack of caring on the flow of the poison through his body, but he knew better. The feeling of Sasori's fingers in his hair was distracting, but relaxing. It was his weakness.  
  
"And the fact that I found you in time, really, is a miracle. You always run off and get yourself into trouble." The anger was gone from his voice, now.  
  
Deidara reached a hand up and caught Sasori's hand. He entwined their fingers and pulled Sasori's down to kiss the knuckles, ignoring the surprise of his partner. After he did, he snuggled closer to his partner and finally managed to push words past his swollen tongue.  
  
"I get it, Danna," He mumbled, eyes falling shut. "I would be nothing without you. Nada. Zip. Zilch. _Zero._ "


End file.
